Undenoniinational 

ies 

for  the 

Sunday  School 

SECOND  SERIES 

MISSIONARY  HEROES  TO  THE 
INDIANS 

MISSIONARY  HEROES  TO  THE 
AFRICANS 

Senior  Grade 


Missionary  Stud 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

Presented  by  ' ; 

Division....  a....:  ■ 

Section ~ . - 


-■i 


ScB 


UNDENOMINATIONAL 

MISSIONARY  STUDIES 

FOR  THE 

SUNDAY  SCHOOU^ 

Second  Series  ! 0. 

I 

\ >. 
v ' ‘ ■ 


MISSIONARY  HEROES  TO  THE 
INDIANS 

MISSIONARY  HEROES  TO  THE 
AFRICANS 


Senior  Grade 


EDITED  BY 

George  Harvey  Trull 


Assistant  Minister  Fifth  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church 
New  York  City 


The  Sunday  School  Times  Company 
Philadelphia,  Pa, 


Copyright,  1906 

By  George  Harvey  Trull. 


Single  copies,  twenty  cents,  postpaid. 

Ten  copies,  fifteen  cents  each;  fifty  copies,  ten  cents  each;  carriage  extra. 
More  than  fifty  copies,  special  prices  on  application  to 
The  Sunday  School  Times  Company, 

1031  Walnut  St.,  Philadelphia. 


Intro&uctorie  motes 


The  fourfold  purpose  of  the  Sunday-school  is  Instruction, 
Salvation,  Edification  and  Training  for  Service.  In  none 
of  these  respects  can  the  Sunday-school  discharge  its  full 
duty,  unless  it  gives  to  its  members  an  intelligent,  compre- 
hensive knowledge  of  the  missionary  movements  of  the  whole 
world : “No  information — no  inspiration.”  The  greatest 
need  to-day  in  Sunday-school  work  is  this  very  thing,  and 
these  Studies  will  help  to  solve  the  problem.  To  see  the 
world  through  the  eyes  of  Jesus  Christ  will  put  life  into  any 
Church  or  Sunday-school  or  individual.  Some  way  must  be 
found  in  all  of  our  Sunday-schools  to  lay  the  foundation  for 
missionary  studies.  We  are  rejoiced  that  there  is  more  in- 
terest in  this  matter  to-day  than  ever  in  the  past,  and  upon 
its  proper  solution  depends  the  success  of  the  Church  of  God 
at  home  and  abroad.  These  Studies  are  admirably  adapted 
to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended,  and  should  be 
welcomed  heartily  by  all  Pastors,  Superintendents  and 
Sunday-school  Workers  everywhere. 

Marion  Lawrance, 

General  Secretary 

International  Sunday  School  Association, 


Next  to  the  conversion  of  scholars  in  our  Sunday-schools 
lies  their  development  in  Christian  service.  In  this  line 
there  is  no  instruction  more  important  than  that  of  the 
privilege  and  duty  of  sending  the  “Glad  Tidings”  around  the 
world.  Of  course  this  means  missionary  work. 

The  following  Studies  have  been  carefully  prepared  with 
a view  of  imparting  intelligence  and  enthusiasm  to  Sunday- 
school  scholars  in  the  carrying  on  of  aggressive  missionary 

3 


enterprise.  They  are  to  be  highly  commended  to  all  those 
teachers  who  truly  pray  “Thy  kingdom  come.”  Prayer  and 
practice  should  coincide,  and  these  Studies  are  intended  to 
give  practical  outcome  to  the  prayer  which  we  all  so  often 
offer. 

I can  truly  say  that  the  work  done  by  the  Rev.  G.  H. 
Trull  is  of  a very  high  order.  The  themes  are  interestingly 
put,  and  the  questions  admirably  adapted  to  guide  both 
teacher  and  scholar  in  the  study  of  this  most  important  topic. 
Nothing  but  good  can  result  from  the  use  of  these  Studies 
as  supplementary  work  in  our  Sunday-schools. 


A.  F.  SCHAtJFFLER, 

Secretary  International  Lesson  Committee. 


AST  year  the  first  series  of  Home  Mission  Studies  for  the 


1—#  Sunday-school  was  issued  by  the  Home  and  Foreign 
Boards  of  Missions.  The  sale  of  the  books  was  of  such  a kind 
that  we  rejoice  that  a second  series  has  been  prepared  for 
the  second  year.  We  are  greatly  encouraged  to  believe  that 
Sunday-schools  are  more  and  more  to  give  a larger  place  to 
the  study  of  world-wide  missions.  Good  ammunition  has 
been  provided  in  these  Studies,  and  classes  will  do  well  to 
follow  the  leadings  as  they  are  taken  into  the  destitute  and 
waste  places  of  this  country  and  throughout  the  world. 


John  Willis  Baer, 

Former  Secretary  Board  of  Home  Missions. 


* ‘ O EE  that  stately  tree  on  the  beach,  standing  alone  in 

0 all  its  grandeur?”  said  the  Captain  of  the  good  ship 
“Sekondi”  as  she  ploughed  through  the  quiet  waters  of  the 
South  Atlantic,  off  the  coast  of  Angola.  “It  was  at  that 
point,”  he  continued,  “that  David  Livingstone  stood  after 
his  long  journey  across  the  Dark  Continent,  and  looked  out 
westward  on  the  broad  expanse  of  waters.” 

1 know  not  by  whom  this  tree  was  planted  or  how  much 
truth  there  is  in  the  story.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain. 
The  name  of  Livingstone  is  still  potent  everywhere  in  Africa. 


4 


When  the  great  French  missionary,  Frangois  Coillard,  came 
to  the  confluence  of  the  Chobe  and  Zambesi  rivers,  he  found 
that  the  principal  ford  was  guarded  by  three  Barotsi  chiefs. 
No  one  could  cross  the  ferry  without  their  permission.  As 
soon,  however,  as  he  made  known  that  he  was  a missionary 
and  a friend  of  Livingstone,  all  difficulty  was  removed. 
Coillard  writes  that  “Livingstone  has  left  the  name  of  mis- 
sionary in  such  high  honor,  that  my  character  as  such  was  a 

sufficient  passport In  Europe  people  admired  the 

intrepid  traveler,  but  one  must  come  here  where  he  has 
lived  to  admire  the  man.  If  some  travelers  have  engraved 
their  names  on  the  rocks  and  tree  trunks,  he  has  engraved 
his  in  the  very  hearts  of  the  heathen  population  of  Central 
Africa.” 

But  the  influence  of  Livingstone  extends  far  beyond  the 
Continent  of  Africa.  The  young  men  and  women  of  the  past 
generation  were  fired  with  the  story  of  Henry  M.  Stanley’s 
long  journey  in  search  of  the  great  missionary  in  the  heart 
of  Africa.  A quarter  of  a century  ago,  it  was  an  inspiration 
to  many  of  us  who  have  now  reached  mid-life  to  read  the 
narrative  of  the  fearless  Stanley,  and  note  the  wondrous 
power  which  this  man  of  God  exercised  upon  him  as  they 
two  talked  over  the  woes  of  Africa.  Livingstone  did  not 
preach  to  Stanley.  No  church  service  was  held,  no  direct 
appeal  made,  but  the  steady  and  silent  influence  of  a life  of 
such  heroic  mold  left  its  indelible  impress  upon  the  mind  and 
heart  and  soul  of  the  adventurous  newspaper  correspondent. 

In  the  rooms  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  in  London  is  a huge  log,  brought  by  one  of  their 
representatives  from  Chitambo,  near  Lake  Bangweolo, 
Central  Africa.  This  log  is  a part  of  the  mvula  tree  under 
which  the  faithful  servants  of  Livingstone  buried  his  heart, 
while  they  carried  his  mortal  body  to  the  coast,  whence  it 
was  sent  to  England  and  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey.  Only 
a portion  of  a tree,  but  how  sacred  to  thousands  of  students 
of  Missions,  because  underneath  its  shade  lay  the  heart  of 
Africa’s  great  deliverer! 

No  higher  ideal  could  be  kept  before  the  scholars  of  our 
Sunday-schools  to-day  than  the  lives  of  Livingstone  and 

5 


Moffat,  Mackay  and  Crowther  and  the  other  illustrious 
names  in  Africa’s  Missionary  Hall  of  Fame.  The  aim  of  this 
little  text-book  is  to  present  in  a simple  way  the  story  of 
these  masterful  lives  consecrated  to  the  service  of  Christ 
in  Darkest  Africa. 

The  limited  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  Sunday-school 
teacher  easily  furnishes  an  excuse  to  neglect  mission  study. 
It  is  the  testimony,  however,  of  all  who  have  made  use  of 
such  Studies,  that  the  blessing  which  comes  more  than  repays 
the  extra  effort  put  forth  to  implant  in  ' the  heart  of  the 
scholar  even  a faint  idea  of  the  royal  character  of  the  men  of 
God  who  devoted  their  lives  to  the  evangelization  of  the 
Dark  Continent. 

The  time  is  not  far  distant  when  a complete  set  of  mission 
text-books  for  the  Sunday-school  will  be  the  necessary  equip- 
ment of  every  well-ordered  School.  We  trust  that  this  little 
volume  of  Mr.  Trull’s  is  the  forerunner  of  a long  series  which 
will  open  to  the  youth  of  the  Church  the  storied  treasures  of 
missionary  literature  and  life. 

A.  W.  Halsey, 

Secretary  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 


6 


fftreface 


WITH  a firm  belief  that  the  Sunday-school  is  the  place  for 
systematic  and  thorough  missionary  instruction,  the 
Missionary  Committee  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Presby- 
terian Church,  New  York,  for  the  third  successive  year,  has 
prepared  a series  of  Mission  Studies  for  use  in  its  own  School. 
As  the  first  series,  issued  about  a year  ago,  received  a wider 
circulation  through  its  publication,  the  following  Studies,  for 
use  during  the  current  year,  are  put  in  this  text-book  form, 
with  the  hope  that  they  may  be  of  service  to  other  Schools 
who  desire  to  give  Missions  a place  in  the  Sunday-school 
curriculum.  They  are  issued  in  two  grades,  this  book  for 
Seniors  and  another  for  Juniors  and  Intermediates,  both  cov- 
ering the  same  general  topics,  so  that  the  two  books  can  be 
used  jointly  at  the  same  time  in  the  different  grades  of  the 
School.  Both  Home  and  Foreign  Missions  are  treated,  as 
the  one  is  incomplete  without  the  other. 

The  Studies  are  meant  to  be  used  as  Supplemental  Work, 
and  should  not  take  the  place  of  the  regular  Bible  lesson  of 
the  day.  Fifteen  minutes  should  be  devoted  to  them  in  the 
class,  a copy  of  the  book  being  in  the  hands  of  each  scholar 
during  the  preceding  week,  for  home  preparation.  This  is 
essential  if  good  results  are  to  be  obtained,  and  the  price  of 
the  book  has  been  made  so  low  that  this  is  possible.  By  fol- 
lowing some  of  the  suggested  reading  noted  at  the  close  of 
the  several  Studies,  the  teachers  will  be  enabled  to  make  the 
missionary  period  bright,  crisp  and  attractive. 

The  Studies  can  be  used  on  consecutive  Sundays  or  once  a 
month,  as  is  deemed  best  by  each  School.  If  monthly,  it  is 
suggested  that  the  closing  exercises  of  the  School  should  be 
devoted  to  the  missionary  topic  of  the  day,  thus  deepening 
still  more  the  impressions  made  in  the  classes.  Especial 

7 


attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  these  Studies  are  not  de- 
nominational in  any  sense,  hence  they  are  adapted  for  use  in 
any  School. 

With  the  prayer  that  they  may  arouse  and  quicken  an  in- 
terest in  the  great  cause  of  Missions,  they  are  herewith  sent 
forth. 

May  L.  Moorehead, 

Ruth  G.  Winant, 

Marie  H.  Winkhaus, 

George  H.  Trule,  Supt. 

Missionary  Committee 

New  York,  February  i,  1906. 


8 


Contents 


Study  I. 

John  Eliot  II 

BY  GEORGE  H.  TRULL. 

Study  II. 

David  Brainerd  23 

BY  GEORGE  H.  TRULL. 

Study  III. 

Marcus  Whitman  31 

BY  MARIE  H.  WINKHAUS. 

Study  IV. 

Egerton  R.  Young  43 

BY  MARIE  H.  WINKHAUS. 

Study  V. 

The  Dark  Continent  52 

BY  RUTH  G.  WINANT. 

Study  VI. 

Robert  Moffat  59 

BY  MAY  L.  MOOREHEAD. 

Study  VII. 

Samuel  Adjai  Crowther  66 

BY  RUTH  G.  WINANT. 

9 


Study  VIII. 

David  Livingstone  74 

BY  GEORGB  H.  TRULB. 

Study  IX. 

Alexander  M.  Mackay  87 

BY  GEORGE  H.  TRULE. 

Study  X. 

Modern  Africa  ! 100 

BY  MAY  L.  MOOREHEAD. 


10 


I 


STUDY  I. 

3obn  EHot 

1604>»1690 

CBlissionari^  IHeroes  to  tbe  Inbians 

Prayer  and  pains  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  will  do 
anything” — From  Eliot's  Indian  Grammar. 

England  in  Seventeenth  Century. 

In  the  year  1604  there  was  bom,  in  a small  village 
twenty-five  miles  north  of  Eondon,  a boy  who  was 
destined  to  become  the  representative  missionary  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  He  was  to  become  the 
apostle  to  the  North  American  Indians.  He  was  born 
at  a time  when  in  England  there  was  little  or  no 
interest  in  the  subject  of  Missions.  It  was  the  year 
after  the  great  Queen  Elizabeth  had  died,  and  Pro- 
testantism was  not  a century  old.  The  Reformers 
had  been  bitterly  persecuted  by  the  Catholics,  especi- 
ally in  the  reign  of  Bloody  Mary.  But  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  of  England  in  its  treatment  of  the 
Dissenters  was,  if  less  bitter  in  its  form  of  persecution 
than  the  Catholics,  yet  none  the  less  determined  to 
oppress  all  who  would  not  conform  to  the  established 
Church.  The  choice  of  Non-Conformists  lay  between 
leaving  the  country  or  being  whipped,  branded,  pil- 

II 


loriecl,  or  having  the  nostrils  slit  and  ears  mutilated. 
The  natural  result  was  that  hundreds  emigrated  to 
America.  God  used  this  persecution  to  send  many 
of  England’s  best  sons  to  the  New  World,  and  thus 
North  America,  instead  of  becoming  a Spanish  or 
French  territory,  was  saved  for  Protestantism  by 
Pilgrims  and  Puritans.  It  was  in  such  a time  that 
Eliot  grew  up. 

EarIvY  EiF^  AND  Conversion. 

Little  is  known  of  his  early  history.  His  parents 
were  godly  people  and  were  careful  to  surround  their 
son  with  helpful  Christian  influences.  He  was  a hard 
student,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  graduated  from 
Cambridge  University.  He  had  a special  fondness 
for  language  study,  and  this  was  of  great  value  to 
him  later  in  his  learning  the  Indian  tongue  after  he 
had  gone  to  America.  After  his  graduation  he  was 
a teacher  in  the  school  of  Thomas  Hooker,  who  later 
in  America  became  so  well  known. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  time  of  Eliot’s  conver- 
sion, but  it  was  in  the  home  of  Thomas  Hooker  that 
his  spiritual  life  was  deepened,  and  that  he  deter- 
mined to  give  himself  to  the  ministry. 

Reaches  America. 

It  was  in  1631  that  he  reached  Boston,  just  eleven 
years  after  the  Pilgrims  had  landed  on  Plymouth 
Rock.  He  was  then  twenty-seven  years  old,  and  full 
of  zeal  and  vigor.  After  filling  the  pulpit  of  the  Bos- 
ton Church  for  a year  during  the  absence  of  the 
pastor  in  England,  Eliot  removed  a few  miles  away  to 
Roxbury,  which  was  to  be  the  scene  of  his  lifelong 

12 


labors.  He  was  pastor  of  the  Roxbury  Church  for 
fifty-nine  years,  until  his  death.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  all  of  his  missionary  work  among  the 
Indians  was  carried  on  in  connection  with  his  pas- 
torate, and  his  labors  for  the  Red  Men  have  gained 
him  the  title  of  the  “Apostle  to  the  Indians.”  It  is 
for  his  work  among  them  rather  than  for  anything 
else  that  his  name  is  memorable,  although  he  exer- 
cised a wide  influence  in  all  the  affairs  of  the  Colony. 

Labors  Among  the  Indians. 

Shortly  after  the  Pilgrims  landed,  some  efforts  had 
been  made  to  reach  the  Indians  with  the  gospel,  but 
little  had  been  accomplished.  With  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  of  them  in  the  Colony,  Eliot  came  into  more 
or  less  close  contact  with  many,  and  was  deeply 
impressed  with  a sense  of  their  spiritual  needs. 
When  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  in  1646 
passed  an  order  to  send  the  gospel  to  the  Indians, 
this  impression  of  Eliot’s  was  deepened,  and  he  re- 
solved to  aid  in  the  work  himself.  It  was  a duty 
resting  upon  him  not  only  as  a Christian  minister, 
but  also  as  a settler  under  the  charter  which  enjoined 
this  very  thing.  On  the  seal  of  the  Massachusetts 
Colony  was  the  picture  of  an  Indian  saying:  “Come 
over  and  help  us.” 

Though  pressed  with  many  pastoral  duties,  Eliot 
determined  to  devote  all  the  time  possible  to  the 
Indians.  For  quite  a while  he  had  been  studying 
their  language,  bringing  into  his  own  home  one  of 
the  Red  Men,  through  whose  help  he  made  rapid 
progress. 

Without  grammar  or  dictionary,  he  learned  the 

13 


Indians’  language  by  noting  carefully  the  spoken 
words,  and  truly  as  any  explorer  did  he  open  up  to 
these  Red  Men  of  the  forest  communication  with  the 
outside  world. 


Translations. 

He  first  translated  the  Ten  Commandments,  Lord's 
Prayer  and  some  Scripture  passages,  and  later 
brought  his  energies  to  the  translation  of  the  whole 
Bible  into  the  Indian  tongue.  The  New  Testament 
was  completed  in  i66i,  just  fifty  years  after  the  pub- 
lication of  our  authorized  King  James  version.  In 
1663  the  Old  Testament  was  finished.  Few  persons 
to-day  realize  what  a tremendous  task  this  was.  Says 
Dr.  Thompson : “Here  is  John  Eliot,  amidst  primeval 
forests  and  all  the  privations  and  solitude  of  early 
Colonial  life,  with  parochial  labors  quite  sufficient, 
slightly  cheered  by  social  aid,  mastering  the  language 
of  a barbarous  people  that  did  not  possess  a vestige 
of  literature,  even  to  the  amount  of  an  uncouth  song. 
Into  that  vehicle,  not  so  much  of  thought  as  of  savage 
wants,  he  transfuses  the  wealth  of  God’s  Word  . . . 
Rare  perseverance  did  Eliot  exhibit.  During  the 
first  thousand  years  of  our  era  the  Bible  was  trans- 
lated into  only  ten  different  languages,  the  rate  being 
one  for  every  century.  Yet  none  of  them  furnishes 
probably  so  much  to  admire  in  the  faith  and  industry 
of  one  man  triumphing  over  difficulties.”  “Eliot’s 
translation  was  indeed  the  first  instance  in  which  the 
entire  Bible  was  ever  given  to  a barbarous  people  as 
a means  of  their  conversion.  Columbus  made  known 
to  the  Old  World  the  greatest  of  geographical  dis- 
coveries ; to  the  New  World,  Eliot  gave  the  greatest 

14 


of  treasures  possessed  by  the  Old.”  It  is  a note- 
worthy fact  that  the  very  iirst  Bible  ever  printed  in 
America  was  this  translation  of  Eliot’s,  and  that  it 
was  in  the  native  Indian  tongue.  There  is  probably 
no  person  living  to-day  who  can  read  this  Bible,  the 
language  in  which  it  is  written  no  longer  being 
spoken  by  any  tribe  of  Indians. 

Religion  oe  the  Indians. 

Let  us  pause  to  inquire  what  were  some  of  the 
religious  beliefs  held  by  the  Indians  of  Eliot’s  day. 
They  believed  in  the  Great  Spirit  as  the  supreme  being 
who  dwelt  far  off  in  the  heavens  toward  the  setting 
sun,  and  recognized  also  an  opposing  evil  power. 
They  believed,  too,  in  the  existence  of  many  lesser 
spirits.  Everything  in  nature  had  its  spirit.  There 
was  the  spirit  in  the  storm,  in  the  lake,  in  the  river,  in 
the  trees,  etc.  If  any  strange  occurrence  took  place, 
it  was  regarded  as  the  work  of  a spirit.  They  be- 
lieved, too,  in  life  after  death,  and  that  one’s  condition 
there  of  happiness  or  unhappiness  depended  on  the 
manner  of  life  while  here  on  earth.  The  Dakotas 
think  that  the  road  to  the  ‘‘happy  hunting  grounds” 
is  over  a rock  with  an  edge  as  sharp  as  a knife,  on 
which  only  the  good  can  keep  their  footing.  The 
wicked  fall  off  and  descend  to  the  region  of  the  Evil 
Spirit. 

Prayer  and  fasting  are  also  observed  among  the 
Dakotas.  On  his  eighth  birthday,  every  boy  must 
go  out  on  a hilltop  alone  and  spend  the  day  fasting 
and  in  communion  with  the  Great  Spirit.  At  inter- 
vals he  will  exclaim,  “O  Wakondab,  have  pity  on  me 

15 


and  make  me  a great  man !”  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
this  period  of  fasting  and  meditation  lasts  for  two 
days,  and  at  eighteen  years  for  four  days. 

The  Indians  also  have  their  days  of  Thanksgiving 
and  of  special  sacrifices.  The  following  story  is  told 
of  an  old  Indian  Chief  who  had  recovered  from  a long 
illness.  Coming  out  of  his  wigwam  and  building  a 
fire  before  his  door,  he  put  upon  it  his  single  leaf  of 
tobacco.  Then  he  bowed  his  head  and  prayed  thus: 
‘‘O  Great  Spirit,  this  is  my  last  leaf  of  tobacco,  and 
I know  not  where  I shall  get  another.  Thou  know- 
est  how  fond  I am  of  tobacco,  but  I freely  give  this 
last  leaf  to  thee,  and  I thank  thee  for  restoring  me 
to  health  once  more.’^ 

It  was  in  the  same  year  that  the  order  had  gone 
forth  from  the  Colonial  Council  regarding  the  giving 
of  the  gospel  to  the  Indians  (1646)  that  Eliot 
preached  to  them  his  first  sermon.  It  is  memorable 
because  it  was  the  first  sermon  delivered  in  the  na- 
tive tongue  on  North  American  soil  by  a Protestant 
minister.  The  service  was  held  on  October  28,  1646, 
in  the  wigwam  of  Waban,  one  of  the  Chiefs.  The 
text  was  Ezekiel  37 : 9,  10,  and  the  sermon  lasted  for 
an  hour  and  a quarter,  but  held  the  interest  of  the 
audience  to  the  end.  Then  the  Indians  asked  many 
questions.  Here  are  some  of  them : 

How  they  might  be  brought  to  knozv  Jesus  Christ? 

Whether  God  coidd  understand  prayers  in  the  Indian 
language? 

Whether  there  was  ever  a time  when  the  English 
were  as  ignorant  of  divine  things  as  themselves? 

How  came  the  world  so  full  of  people  if  they  were  all 
once  drowned  in  the  Flood? 

16 


Community  LiF^. 

Eliot  was  anxious  not  only  that  the  Indians  should 
receive  spiritual  instruction,  but  that  they  might 
adopt  the  modes  of  civilized  life  and  dwell  in  a com- 
munity of  their  own.  The  laws  of  this  community 
were  to  be  framed  on  a Scriptural  basis.  A grant  of 
land  was  obtained,  and  the  name  chosen  for  the  set- 
tlement was  Nonantum,  which  means  ^Tejoicing.’^ 
The  Indians  laid  off  their  town  and  built  their  own 
homes.  They  raised  produce  for  market  which  they 
sold  to  the  white  men,  and  thus  was  established  the 
first  settlement  of  ^‘Praying  Indians,^’  as  these  con- 
verts to  Christianity  were  called. 

Eliot  labored  with  untiring  zeal  and  great  patience, 
ever  seeking  to  improve  the  moral  and  social  condi- 
tion of  the  Red  Men.  He  laid  the  matter  of  minister- 
ing to  them  upon  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  his 
fellow-ministers  in  other  parishes  also,  with  the  result 
that  additional  bands  of  Praying  Indians  were 
formed,  and  communities  were  established  at  Nepon- 
set,  Concord,  Natick,  Martha's  Vineyard  and  else- 
where. 


Opposition. 

As  time  went  on  Eliot  met  with  much  opposition 
in  his  missionary  labors,  both  from  disaffected 
Indians  and  unsympathetic  whites.  The  Sachems  or 
Chiefs  and  the  pow-wows  were  jealous  of  the  grow- 
ing influence  of  Christianity,  and  felt  that  as  its 
power  grew  their  own  correspondingly  weakened. 
^‘Neither  in  the  splendid  palace  nor  in  the  cabins 
of  the  forest  is  man  willing  to  resign  arbi- 
trary power  so  long  as  he  can  hold  it.  The  Sachems 

i; 


could  not  look  with  complacency  or  indifference  on 
the  inroads  of  a religion,  the  effect  of  which  was 
to  bring  their  authority  within  some  just  limits  and 
under  some  reasonable  principles.’’  The  pow-wows, 
too,  felt  a grievance  when  the  Christian  Indians  no 
longer  would  believe  in  their  supposed  supernatural 
power  nor  be  in  servile  dread  of  them.  Neither 
Sachem  nor  pow-wow  was  willing  to  give  up  his 
authority  over  his  followers  without  a struggle,  and 
consequently  many  of  the  Praying  Indians  suffered 
taunts,  ridicule,  and  even  tortures  and  death  for  their 
new-found  faith.  Eliot  also  was  threatened,  but  he 
went  right  on  with  his  work,  replying : “I  am  engaged 
in  the  work  of  God,  and  God  is  with  me.  I fear  not 
all  the  Sachems  in  the  country.  I shall  go  on  in  my 
work,  and  do  you  touch  me  if  you  dare.” 

Among  the  whites,  too,  there  were  those  who 
spoke  disparagingly  of  the  missionary’s  labors,  and 
who  circulated  false  reports  in  England  that  the 
work  was  of  little  value,  and  that  it  was  merely  a 
money-making  scheme,  that  no  Indians  had  been  nor 
could  be  converted. 

A Native  Ministry. 

But  the  facts  disproved  these  slanders,  and  the 
work  prospered.  Eliot  saw  that  one  of  the  most 
effective  ways  of  reaching  the  Indians  would  be 
through  native  teachers  and  evangelists.  He  there- 
fore spent  a good  deal  of  time  in  training  those  who 
were  fitted  for  such  work,  and  sent  them  out  from 
time  to  time  to  other  tribes.  Their  efforts  met  with 
more  or  less  success,  and  Eliot’s  heart  was  cheered  by 
the  progress  that  was  made.  While  opposed  by  some, 

i8 


as  we  have  seen,  he  was,  on  the  other  hand,  regarded 
with  deep  respect  and  real  affection  by  many  others ; 
for  even  the  savages  could  appreciate  the  heroic  and 
self-denying  labor  of  this  man  of  God  in  his  ministry 
to  them. 


King  Phiup’s  War. 

Unhappily,  Eliot’s  last  days  were  saddened  by  the 
harm  to  his  work  that  resulted  from  the  outbreak  of 
the  war  with  Philip  the  Narragansett  Chief.  The 
Christian  Indians,  whose  loyalty  in  most  cases  to  the 
English  was  unquestioned,  were  yet  treated  with 
great  injustice  by  the  whites,  and  suspected  of  being 
secret  allies  of  the  hostile  Indians  and  ready  at  any 
moment  to  join  them  openly.  They  suffered,  too,  at 
the  hands  of  Philip,  for  he  regarded  them,  on  account 
of  their  Christianity,  as  favorable  to  the  English.  As 
the  war  continued  and  every  sort  of  outrage  was 
suffered  by  the  Colonists,  popular  feeling  against  all 
the  Indians  rose  to  such  a pitch  that  no  distinction 
was  made  in  their  minds  between  the  hostile  and 
Christian  Indians.  The  settlements  of  the  latter  were 
broken  up  and  they  suffered  many  hardships,  never 
fully  recovering  from  the  losses  sustained  at  this  time. 

Eliot’s  Abiding  Work. 

Some  have  questioned  the  abiding  character  of 
Eliot’s  work  because  of  the  scattering  of  many  of  the 
Indians,  and  their  gradual  dying  out.  But  many  of 
those  to  whom  he  ministered  were  brought  out  of 
darkness  into  light,  and  as  a result  of  his  missionary 
zeal  and  his  writings  Christians  were  aroused  both  in 
this  country  and  in  England.  When  Eliot  first  began 

19 


his  work  among  the  Indians  in  1646,  where  was  not  a 
single  Protestant  missionary  society  in  all  the  world. 
Says  Dr.  Thompson : “The  noteworthy  rise  of  for- 
eign missionary  zeal  within  the  last  one  hundred  years 
is  an  outgrowth  in  no  small  measure  of  what  was  done 
for  the  pagan  people  of  Massachusetts  by  Eliot  and 
his  co-laborers  and  immediate  successors.  The  Ameri- 
can Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions, 
which  has  sent  out  more  than  two  thousand  mission- 
aries, is  a century  plant  whose  seed  was  dropped  by 
the  Apostle  to  the  Indians  among  the  hills  of 
Natick.’" 


Eliot’s  Character  and  Death. 

As  to  the  personal  traits  of  this  Apostle  to  the  Red 
Men  little  need  be  added  to  what  has  already  been 
stated.  He  was  a humble  follower  of  Christ,  imbued 
with  a passion  for  souls,  untiring  in  energy  and  faith- 
ful until  death.  In  all  his  service  to  the  Red  Men  he 
was  careful  to  neglect  no  duty  to  his  Roxbury  church. 
The  members  there  were  glad  to  share  the  services  of 
their  minister  with  the  men  of  the  forest.  Eliot  lived 
past  fourscore  years,  and  was  vigorous  until  almost 
the  last.  He  still  brought  forth  fruit  in  old  age,  giv- 
ing spiritual  instruction  to  the  Negro  slaves  of  the 
Colonists  who  came  to  him  in  his  own  home.  He  also 
taught  a poor  blind  lad.  At  the  last  public  service  he 
attended  he  preached  on  the  83d  Psalm.  As  his  end 
drew  near,  some  one  asked  him  how  he  felt.  He 
replied : “Alas ! I have  lost  everything : my  under- 
standing leaves  me,  my  memory  fails  me,  my  utter- 
ance fails  me,  but  I thank  God  my  charity  holds  out 
still.  I find  that  rather  grows  than  fails.”  On  the 

20 


20th  day  of  May,  1690,  aged  eighty-six  years,  John 
Eliot  went  to  his  reward  in  Heaven. 

“His  youth  was  innocent;  his  riper  age 

Marked  with  some  act  of  goodness  every  day; 

And  watched  by  eyes  that  loved  him,  calm  and  safe 
Faded  his  last  declining  years  away. 

Cheerful  he  gave  his  being  up  and  went 
To  share  the  holy  rest  that  waits  a life  well-spent.” 

Questions. 

1.  What  was  the  state  of  the  church  in  England  in 

the  seventeenth  century? 

2.  Trace  the  relation  between  the  Protestantism  of 

New  England  and  persecution  in  England? 

3.  What  evidence  is  there  that  the  Colonists  had  any 

concern  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
Indians  ? 

4.  When  did  Eliot  begin  his  labors  among  the  Red 

Men,  and  what  were  some  of  his  difficulties  ? 

5.  What  was  the  first  Bible  ever  printed  in  America? 

When  and  by  whom? 

6.  Was  there  anything  in  common  between  the  reli- 

gious beliefs  of  the  Indians  and  Christianity? 

7.  Why  do  you  think  Eliot  chose  the  text  that  he 

did  for  his  first  sermon  to  the  Indians? 

8.  What  influence  has  Eliot  had  on  present  day 

Missions  ? 

Books  for  Teachers  Before  Teaching  this 
Study. 

Sparks’  “American  Biographies”— Eliot. 
Thompson’s  “Protestant  Missions,”  Chap.  4. 

21 


Creegan’s  “Pioneer  Missionaries  of  the  Church/’ 
“A  Century  of  Dishonor,”  by  H.  H.  Jackson. 

Books  for  Scholars. 

“Indian  Boyhood,”  by  Charles  A.  Eastman  (Native 
Indian). 

“Indian  Story  and  Song,”  by  Miss  Alice  Fletcher. 
“The  Legends  of  the  Iroquois,”  by  W.  W.  Canfield. 


22 


STUDY  II. 


Davit)  Kraincrt) 

1718-1747 

nii60lonats  IHctocs  to  tbc  Hubiano 

His  Life  Ambition — long  for  God  and  a conformity  to 
His  will,  in  inward  purity  and  holiness,  ten  thousand  times 
more  than  anything  else  here  below” 

“Oh,  that  I could  be  a dame  of  dre  in  the  service  of  my 
God!” 

His  Dying  Statement — “I  declare,  now  I am  dying,  I 
would  not  have  spent  my  life  otherwise  for  the  whole  world” 

Jonathan  Edwards'  Eulogy — “In  Brainerd's  whole  course 
he  acted  as  one  who  had  indeed  sold  all  for  Christ,  had  en- 
tirely devoted  himself  to  God,  Had  made  His  glory  his  highest 
end,  and  was  fully  determined  to  spend  his  whole  time  and 
strength  in  His  service.” 

The  influence  of  a life  is  not  confined  wholly  to  its 
own  generation.  The  good  and  also  the  evil  that  men 
do  live  after  them.  What  was  said  of  Abel  is  true  of 
every  other  righteous  man:  "‘He  being  dead,  yet 
speaketh.^^  Of  David  Brainerd  this  is  pre-eminently 
true.  Many  who  have  read  of  his  zeal  and  consecra- 
tion have  themselves  been  led  to  lives  of  deep  devo- 
tion. Brief  indeed  was  his  ministry,  not  quite  five 
years  from  the  time  that  he  Was  appointed  a mission- 

23 


ary  to  the  Indians  until  his  death,  and  but  three  years 
from  the  occasion  of  his  ordination.  But  they  were 
years  filled  with  unceasing  toil  and  burning  zeal,  so 
that  few  other  missionaries,  if  any,  since  apostolic 
days  have  done  so  much  in  so  short  a time. 

Characte:ristics. 

Brainerd  was  a man  whose  life,  in  the  fullest  sense 
was  consecrated  to  God.  He  lived  for  God’s  glory, 
and  the  doing  of  the  divine  will  was  his  chief  and  only 
concern.  Like  his  great  predecessor  Paul,  he  “held 
not  his  life  of  any  account,  as  dear  unto  himself,  if 
so  be  that  he  might  accomplish  his  course  and  the 
ministry  which  he  had  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus 
to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.”  Brainerd’s 
zeal  for  souls  was  so  passionate  that  he  would  spend 
whole  days  and  nights  in  fasting  and  prayer  in  the 
solitude  of  the  forest,  pleading  with  God  for  the  con- 
version of  the  Indians,  and  he  would  brave  any  danger 
and  endure  any  hardship  if  only  he  might  tell  men  of 
the  love  of  God  and  of  their  need  of  Christ.  Great 
purity  of  life  also  marked  his  character.  James’  con- 
ception of  pure  and  undefiled  religion  was  exemplified 
in  him,  for  he  kept  himself  unspotted  from  the  world. 

Birth  and  Hardy  Life. 

David  Brainerd  was  born  in  Haddam,  Connecticut, 
April  2oth,  1718.  His  father  was  a prominent  man 
in  the  community,  being  a member  of  the  Colonial 
Council.  On  his  mother’s  side,  he  was  a descendant 
of  several  Puritan  ministers.  When  David  was  very 
young  his  father  died,  and  he  was  but  thirteen  when 
his  mother  passed  away.  As  a child  he  was  not  very 

24  


strong  physically,  and  the  exposures  and  hardships 
which  he  endured  as  a missionary  undoubtedly  hast- 
ened his  early  death.  He  was  of  a quiet,  reserved 
disposition,  and  before  he  became  a Christian  he 
went  through  many  spiritual  struggles. 

As  a child  he  was  religiously  inclined,  and  gave  a 
good  deal  of  thought  as  he  grew  older  to  the  question 
of  his  salvation.  At  first  he  had  an  idea  that  this  was 
to  be  secured  by  winning  God’s  favor  through  his  own 
good  deeds,  and  through  good  feelings,  and  not  until 
he  was  twenty-one  did  he  come  to  see  that  no  works 
of  righteousness  of  his  own  could  save  him,  but  Christ 
alone.  Though  leading  an  outwardly  blameless  life, 
when  once  conviction  of  sin  came  to  him  it  was  in- 
tense. He  says : ‘T  see  myself  infinitely  vile  and  un- 
worthy ...  an  unfathomable  abyss  of  desperate 
wickedness  in  myself.”  But  he  saw  also  the  infinite 
love  of  God  and  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  and  his  soul 
was  filled  with  joy  unspeakable. 

PrE^PARATION  POR  THP  MINISTRY. 

Even  before  his  clear  conversion,  Brainerd  had 
been  looking  forward  to  the  ministry  as  his  lifework, 
and  as  his  religious  life  deepened  this  became  a fixed 
determination.  He  prepared  to  go  to  Yale,  and 
entered  in  1739.  It  was  during  his  Junior  year  that 
there  was  a great  revival  in  the  college,  and  Brainerd 
was  engaged  in  it  with  others  of  his  fellow-students. 
One  afternoon  they  had  been  holding  a little  prayer 
service  in  which  one  of  the  tutors  of  the  college,  Mr. 
Whittelsy,  had  taken  part.  After  he  had  left  the  room 
some  one  asked  Brainerd  his  opinion  of  the  tutor. 
He  replied : “He  has  no  more  grace  than  this  chair.” 

25 


The  remark  was  overheard  by  some  one  outside  and 
repeated  to  the  Rector  of  the  college.  For  this  com- 
ment made  in  private,  Brainerd  was  called  on  to  make 
public  confession  and  apology.  This  he  refused  to  do, 
and  he  was  expelled.  He  felt  the  disgrace  keenly,  but 
no  resentment  towards  those  who  exhibited  so  little 
real  grace  in  their  treatment  of  him.  He  continued 
his  studies  outside  the  college,  and  shortly  afterwards 
began  special  training  for  the  ministry.  The  needs 
of  the  heathen  world  pressed  sorely  upon  him  at  this 
time.  “Oh,  that  God  would  bring  in  great  numbers 
of  them  to  Jesus  Christ!  I cannot  but  hope  that  I 
shall  see  that  glorious  day.^’  This  hope  was  indeed 
to  be  realized,  and  he  himself  was  to  have  a share  in 
its  accomplishment. 

Appointment  as  a Missionary. 

Nine  years  before  Brainerd  was  bom  there  was  or- 
ganized in  Scotland,  in  1709,  the  Society  for  the  Prop- 
agation of  Christian  Knowledge.  This  was  the  first 
Protestant  missionary  society  that  ever  existed  in 
Scotland,  and  it  was  organized  chiefly  for  the  purpose 
of  sending  the  gospel  to  the  Indians  of  North  Amer- 
ica. Missionaries  were  sent  to  Florida,  Georgia  and 
to  New  England.  It  was  about  1740  when  the  needs 
of  the  Indians  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Delaware 
and  Pennsylvania  were  brought  to  the  Society's 
attention.  In  response  to  the  appeal,  it  was  resolved 
to  send  two  missionaries  to  them.  Azariah  Horton 
was  one,  and  he  labored  in  the  eastern  part  of  Long 
Island.  David  Brainerd  was  the  other,  and  he 
received  his  appointment  when  he  was  twenty-four 
years  of  age. 


26 


At  Kaunaumeek. 

He  began  his  missionary  career  at  Kaunaumeek,  a 
place  about  midway  between  Albany  and  Stockbridge, 
Massachusetts.  Those  were  pioneer  days  indeed,  with 
great  hardships  to  be  endured.  Comforts  were  few. 
Brainerd  built  a cabin  right  in  the  depth  of  the  forest, 
so  as  to  be  near  the  Indians,  even  though  he  thus 
shut  himself  off  from  all  English  settlements.  He 
had  to  send  or  go  fifteen  miles  to  get  all  the  bread  he 
ate.  Sometimes,  if  he  secured  a considerable  quan- 
tity, it  would  be  mouldy  or  sour  before  he  could  eat  it. 
At  other  times  he  would  have  none  at  all  for  several 
days.  But  these  things  did  not  make  him  discon- 
tented. He  was  quite  willing  to  endure  hardships  and 
trials.  “I  scarce  think  of  them,’’  he  writes,  ‘'or 
hardly  observe  that  I am  not  entertained  in  the  most 
sumptuous  manner,”  and  again  he  said  that  he  blessed 
God  as  much  for  his  present  circumstances  as  if  he 
had  been  a king.  Who  but  a man  of  intense  zeal  for 
the  salvation  of  his  fellow-men  would  have  rejoiced 
in  such  conditions,  making  no  word  of  complaint? 
Like  Paul  before  him,  Brainerd  had  learned  in  what- 
soever state  he  was  therein  to  be  content. 

Forks  or  the  Delaware. 

After  a year  with  the  Indians  at  Kaunaumeek,  he 
went  to  labor  among  others  at  the  forks  of  the  Dela- 
ware, near  the  present  site  of  Easton,  Pa.  He  had 
calls  from  important  churches  at  this  time,  and  the 
choice  lay  between  the  congenial  surroundings  of 
cultured  people  and  the  companionship  of  heathen 
in  the  forest.  Friends  tried  to  persuade  him  to  go  to 
the  former,  but  he  chose  the  latter  without  hesitation. 

27 


God  had  called  him  to  the  Red  Men,  in  all  their  degra- 
dation, superstition  and  need,  and  to  them  he  would 
devote  his  life.  He  testified  that  nothing  seemed  to 
be  of  any  considerable  importance,  except  holiness  of 
heart  and  life  and  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  to 
God.  That  the  Indians  to  whom  he  went  were  grossly 
ignorant  and  idolatrous  and  in  dire  need  of  the  gospel 
is  readily  seen  from  his  description  of  his  contact  with 
them.  He  tells  how  on  one  occasion  nearly  a hundred 
of  them  danced  around  a large  fire  in  which  the  fat  of 
ten  deer  was  being  burned.  Their  shouts  and  yells 
could  be  heard  two  miles  away.  All  night  long  they 
kept  it  up,  and  towards  morning  feasted  on  the  flesh 
of  the  deer  they  had  sacrificed. 

With  this  tribe  of  Indians  on  the  Susquehanna 
river,  Brainerd  seemed  to  accomplish  nothing.  It 
discouraged  him  greatly,  for  he  yearned  that  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  might  become  Christians. 
He  was  disheartened,  too,  by  the  lives  of  the  white 
settlers,  many  of  whom  gave  the  Indians  liquor  and 
did  all  that  they  could  to  hinder  the  missionary’s 
work.  They  spoke  of  him  as  a knave  and  impostor 
whose  real  aim  was  to  secure  the  selling  of  the 
Indians  into  slavery,  the  one  thing  that  the  freedom- 
loving  Red  Man  feared  above  all  others.  Time, 
however,  proved  the  falsity  of  these  slanders. 

At  Crosswicks. 

One  other  place  of  Brainerd’s  labor  must  be  men- 
tioned, Crosswicks,  in  New  Jersey,  not  far  from  the 
present  town  of  Cranbury.  Here  Brainerd  labored 
among  the  Delawares.  He  speaks  of  them  as  indo- 
lent and  slothful  and  without  ambition.  “Not  one 

28 


in  a thousand  of  them/’  he  adds,  ‘^has  the  spirit  of  a 
man.”  To  arouse  ambition  in  such  lives  and  to  make 
them  industrious  and  God-fearing  was  Brainerd’s  de- 
sire, and  with  many  of  them  his  efforts  were  success- 
ful. After  many  months  of  labor  a most  gracious 
revival  broke  out.  After  one  of  his  sermons,  there 
were  scarcely  three  in  forty  who  could  refrain  from 
tears  and  bitter  cries. 

“The  power  of  God  seemed  to  descend  upon  the 
assembly  ‘like  a mighty  rushing  wind’  and  with  an 
astonishing  energy  bore  down  all  before  it.  I stood 
amazed  at  the  influence  which  seemed  to  seize  the 
audience  almost  universally,”  he  wrote  in  his  journal, 
“and  could  compare  it  to  nothing  more  aptly  than 
the  irresistible  force  of  a mighty  torrent  or  swelling 
deluge,  that  with  its  insupportable  weight  and  pres- 
sure bears  down  and  sweeps  before  it  whatever  comes 
in  its  way.  Almost  all  persons  of  all  ages  were  bowed 
down  with  concern  together,  and  scarcely  one  was 
able  to  withstand  the  shock  of  this  surprising  opera- 
tion.” 

These  marvelous  results  of  the  Spirit’s  work  pro- 
foundly impressed  Brainerd,  and  filled  him  with 
thanksgiving  to  God.  They  were  but  the  answers 
to  his  prevailing  prayers,  and  God  honored  His  ser- 
vant by  permitting  him  to  see  this  great  revival  ere 
his  work  should  cease. 

C1.0SING  Days. 

We  have  said  that  Brainerd  was  not  robust.  The 
unceasing  labors  and  many  privations  which  he  en- 
dured gradually  began  to  tell  upon  his  strength. 
Entries  in  his  diary  speak  of  “no  appetite,”  “distress- 

29 


ing  weakness,”  ‘"extreme  faintness,”  “full  of  pain,”  “a 
cold  sweat  all  night,”  “violent  fever.” 

In  the  fall  of  1746,  he  decided  to  visit  friends  in 
New  England,  but  it  was  the  following  spring  before 
he  finally  arrived.  He  spent  a couple  of  months  in 
Boston,  and  so  weak  had  he  become  that  his  friends 
despaired  of  his  life.  He  rallied  slightly  and  was  able 
to  reach  the  home  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  in  North- 
ampton, where  he  lingered  between  life  and  death  for 
several  weeks.  He  was  tenderly  nursed  by  President 
Edwards’  daughter  Jerusha  to  whom  he  was  engaged 
to  be  married.  These  closing  days  were  filled  with 
thoughts  of  others,  and  in  loving  testimony  of  God’s 
goodness  to  him.  Quietly,  on  the  9th  of  October, 
1747,  David  Brainerd  passed  from  earth  to  the  pres- 
ence of  his  Lord.  He  had  finished  his  course,  and 
had  gloriously  done  the  work  given  him  to  do. 

Questions. 

1.  What  was  Brainerd’s  ambition  in  life,  and  what 

eflforts  did  he  make  to  attain  it  ? 

2.  Tell  of  his  home  and  early  life. 

3.  Why  was  he  expelled  from  Yale  College? 

4.  Mention  some  incidents  in  his  life  which  prove  his 

consecration  to  God. 

5.  What  traits  of  his  character  do  you  consider 

strongest?  Which  most  worthy  of  imitation? 

Books  eor  Teachers  and  Schoears. 

“Life  of  David  Brainerd,”  by  Jesse  Page. 
Brainerd’s  “Memoirs,”  by  Sherwood. 

“Protestant  Missions,”  by  Thompson,  Chap.  6. 
“Pioneer  Missionaries  of  the  Church,”  by  Creegan. 

30 


STUDY  III. 

(g)arcu0  TRIlbttman 

1802-1847 

{llld6ionains  Kecoed  to  tbe  InMano 

“Never  did  missionary  go  forth  to  the  held  of  his  labors 
animated  by  a nobler  purpose,  or  devote  himself  to  his  task 
with  more  earnestness  and  sincerity,  than  this  meek  and 
Christian  man” 

“Emphatically,  a patriot  without  guile,  a Christian  whose 
faith  was  measured  by  his  works;  who  counted  not  his  life 
dear  unto  him  if  he  might  but  do  good  to  his  fellow-beings, 
white  or  red” 

The  Oregon  Country. 

Marcus  Whitman’s  work  as  a patriot  was  so  closely 
allied  to  his  work  as  a missionary  that  it  is  impossible 
to  get  a full  and  clear  conception  of  his  labors  in  the 
West,  without  taking  a short  preview  of  the  political 
and  religious  conditions  of  Oregon  before  his  first 
journey.  Oregon  at  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  was  a country  including  within  its 
boundaries  the  States  now  called  Oregon,  Washington, 
and  Idaho,  as  well  as  the  western  part  of  Montana 
and  the  southwestern  part  of  Wyoming.  This  coun- 
try belonged  to  neither  America  nor  Great  Britain, 
but  each  one  made  some  claims  upon  it.  Each  one 
also  had  some  interests  in  it,  as  for  instance  their  fur 

31 


trading  stations.  The  English  fur  trading  company 
was  called  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  and  was  of 
great  importance  in  the  history  of  Oregon,  as  w'e  shall 
see  later.  Oregon  was  inhabited  by  Indians,  and  few 
white  people  realized  the  value  of  this  wonderful  land. 
Some  white  people  had  been  there,  however,  years 
before,  having  been  sent  by  the  Government  to  ex- 
plore the  country,  and  these  men,  -with  their  strange 
clothing  and  their  wonderful  firearms,  had  made  a 
deep  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  Red  Men,  especi- 
ally those  of  the  Nez  Perce  and  Flathead  tribes. 

But  the  thing  that  had  made  the  deepest  impres- 
sion of  all  was  the  wonderful  book  which  they  pos- 
sessed, which  taught  them  how  to  live  on  this  earth  so 
as  to  be  sure  of  reaching  the  happy  hunting  grounds 
hereafter.  Surely  this  “Book  of  Heaven”  was  a 
great  treasure,  worth  seeking  and  gaining  possession 
of.  In  1832,  a Council  fire  was  held,  and  as  a result 
a delegation  of  four  men  was  sent  East  to  procure  the 
coveted  Book.  They  came  to  St.  Louis  and  were 
gladly  welcomed  by  the  city  officials  who  were  Ro- 
man Catholics.  They  were  honored  and  feasted 
and  kindly  treated,  and  yet  the  one  thing  that  they 
sought  was  withheld.  Listen  to  the  story  in  the  yery 
words  of  one  of  the  Indians : “My  people  sent  me  to 
get  the  white  man’s  Book  of  Heaven.  You  took  me 
where  you  allow  your  women  to  dance  as  we  do  not 
ours,  and  the  Book  was  not  there.  You  took  me 
where  they  worship  the  Great  Spirit  with  candles, 
and  the  Book  was  not  there.  You  showed  me  images 
of  the  good  spirits  and  pictures  of  the  good  land  be- 
yond, but  the  Book  was  not  among  them  to  tell  us  the 
way.  I am  going  back  the  long  sad  trail  to  my  people 

32 


of  the  dark  land.  You  make  my  feet  heavy  with  gifts 
and  my  moccasins  will  grow  old  in  carrying  them, 
yet  the  Book  was  not  among  them.  When  I tell  my 
poor  blind  people  after  one  more  snow,  in  the  big 
Council,  that  I did  not  bring  the  Book,  no  word  will 
be  spoken  by  our  old  men  or  by  our  young  braves. 
One  by  one  they  will  rise  up  and  go  out  in  silence. 
My  people  will  die  in  darkness,  and  they  will  go  on  the 
long  path  to  other  hunting  grounds.  No  white  man 
will  go  with  them,  and  no  white  man’s  Book  to 
make  the  way  plain.  I have  no  more  words.”  This 
speech,  of  which  we  have  quoted  only  a part,  was 
printed  and  circulated  by  one  who  was  interested  in 
Missions,  and  as  a result  missionaries  were  soon  sent 
West  to  take  the  message  of  the  Gospel  to  these 
seekers  after  the  light.  But  the  first  missionaries  did 
not  approve  of  the  region  of  the  Nez  Perces  and  Flat- 
heads  for  a station,  and  once  more  they  were  passed 
by  while  the  missionaries  chose  another  location. 

Whitman’s  Early  Life. 

But  such  earnest  seeking  after  truth  was  not  to  be 
unheeded,  and  during  these  dark  years  God  was  pre- 
paring for  Himself  a messenger  to  do  His  work.  In 
1802,  in  the  little  village  of  Rushville,  New  York, 
Marcus  Whitman  was  born.  His  boyhood  was  spent 
in  a pioneer  home,  surrounded  by  no  luxuries ; even 
the  comforts  of  life  were  wanting.  Still,  in  these 
very  privations  may  be  seen  the  hand  of  God  fitting 
the  boy  for  the  great  work  of  the  man,  who  in  his  later 
life  was  to  endure  almost  unbearable  hardships. 
Owing  to  the  death  of  his  father,  he  was  obliged  to 
help  his  mother  from  the  time  that  he  was  only  eight 

33 


years  old.  Even  at  this  early  age  he  was  fond  of  ad- 
venture and  exploration,  but  was  also  a careful  reader 
and  student  of  the  Bible.  At  twenty-two  he  made 
public  confession  of  his  faith,  having  been  converted 
some  years  before  during  a revival  season.  He  re- 
ceived a good  common  school  education,  and  intended 
to  study  for  the  ministry,  but  some  physical  ailment 
led  him  to  take  up  the  study  of -medicine  instead. 
For  four  years  he  practiced  in  Canada,  and  expected 
to  continue  upon  his  return  home.  His  plans,  how- 
ever, were  changed,  and  he  became  his  brother's 
partner  in  a saw  mill.  This,  too,  was  evidently  part 
of  God’s  plan,  in  further  preparation  for  a life  of  prac- 
tical usefulness. 


Starts  Westward. 

About  this  time  the  Rev.  Samuel  Parker,  an  earn- 
est preacher,  was  roused  by  the  story  of  the  disap- 
pointed Red  Men,  and,  being  filled  with  a longing  to 
help  them,  he  offered  his  services  to  the  Board  of 
Home  Missions,  enlisted  Marcus  Whitman  in  the 
cause,  and  with  him  started  to  explore  the  region. 
After  a long  and  wearisome  journey  they  reached 
the  Nez  Perce  and  Flathead  tribes,  who  were  over- 
joyed to  see  these  ‘‘men  near  to  God,”  as  they  called 
the  missionaries.  Parker  and  Whitman  both  decided 
that  here  was  a desirable  place  for  a mission  station, 
and  in  order  not  to  lose  any  time.  Whitman  turned 
back  to  find  new  associates,  while  Parker  went  on. 
While  in  the  East,  Whitman  married  Miss  Prentiss 
(1836),  and  soon  this  young  bridal  couple,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spalding,  also  only  recently 
married,  started  out  on  a double  wedding  journey 

34 


across  the  United  States.  They  traveled  with  the 
fur  trading  company's  caravan,  taking  with  them  a 
full  supply  of  things  which  would  be  needed  in  a place 
several  hundred  miles  from  civilization — e.  g., 
material  for  a blacksmith's  shop,  plow,  seeds  and 
clothing  for  two  years.  At  Council  Bluffs  it  was 
necessary  to  leave  all  wagons  behind,  and  everything 
had  to  be  put  on  pack  animals.  Whitman,  however, 
insisted  on  at  least  attempting  to  take  with  him  a 
small  light  cart  for  his  wife.  His  success  in  taking 
this  across  the  Rockies  was  used  some  years  later 
as  most  important  evidence  of  the  fact  that  the  Rocky 
Mountains  were  not  impassable,  and  that  Oregon 
could  be  reached  by  caravans  from  the  East.  When 
they  reached  their  destination  they  were  gladly  wel- 
comed, especially  by  pioneers  who  had  not  seen  a 
white  woman  for  several  years.  Whitman  now  started 
a station  at  Waiilatpu,  while  Spalding  went  to  Lapwai. 

Settlement  at  Waiilatpu. 

Let  us  see  what  Whitman's  labors  among  the 
Indians  included.  Besides  giving  instruction  in  the 
Word  of  God,  which  was  the  first  and  main  object  of 
his  trip  to  the  West,  he  also  taught  them  how  to  make 
and  keep  their  homes  clean  and  pure,  how  to  sow  and 
plant,  and  to  reap  their  own  crops  and  become  thrifty 
farmers.  He  attended  all  their  sick,  and  the  children 
were  brought  into  a school  which  was  taught  by  Mrs. 
Whitman.  After  three  years  of  life  in  the  West,  in 
1839,  Whitman  had  built,  near  the  two  little  houses 
which  were  the  beginning  of  the  station,  a house 
18x62  feet,  a grist  mill,  and  two  other  buildings.  He 
also  had  two  hundred  acres  of  land  under  cultivation, 

35 


and  was  getting  good  crops.  As  all  this  was  done 
with  the  help  of  his  wife  alone,  except  for  some  little 
help  of  a fellow-missionary  at  intervals,  we  may 
imagine  the  wonderful  energy  and  industry  of  the 
man.  Success  crowned  his  efforts,  and  those  of  his 
fellow-missionaries  among  the  Indians.  Scores  of 
families  settled  near  the  mission  stations  and  showed 
great  eagerness  for  instruction.  They  learned  many 
useful  arts  and  how  to  till  the  ground  and  evinced 
great  interest  in  Christianity.  This  was  regarded 
with  great  disfavor  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  for 
its  policy  was  to  keep  the  Indians  ignorant.  Sir 
Edward  Fitzgerald,  speaking  of  it,  said : “The  Hudson 
Bay  Company  has  entailed  misery  and  destruction 
upon  thousands  throughout  the  country,  which  is 
withering  under  its  curse.  ...  It  has  stopped  the 
extension  of  civilization,  and  has  excluded  the  light 
of  religious  truth.” 

Policy  thl  Hudson  Bay  Company. 

Being  an  interested  observer  of  political  affairs. 
Whitman  soon  saw  that  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
was  not  trying  merely  to  secure  its  own  interests,  but 
was  also  doing  all  it  could  to  decrease  the  power  of 
American  missionaries,  who  at  that  time  were  all 
Protestants.  Jesuit  priests  were  sent  among  the 
Indians,  who  told  them  that  the  religion  taught  by 
Protestants  was  false.  They  did  all  in  their  power 
to  undermine  Dr.  Whitman’s  work,  and  were  careful 
to  withhold  all  instruction  and  training  which  would 
lead  to  the  Indians  becoming  independent  of  the 
white  men.  Reports  were  circulated  in  the  East  that 
Oregon  could  not  be  reached;  that  it  was  impossible 

36 


for  women  and  children  to  cross  the  Rockies,  and  as 
a result  many  who  would  have  come  from  the  Eastern 
States  were  frightened  back. 

As  time  went  on.  Whitman  became  thoroughly  con- 
vinced that  the  purpose  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
was  to  bring  Oregon  under  the  absolute  control  of 
Great  Britain,  which  would  mean,  too,  the  dominating 
influence  of  Roman  Catholicism.  While  on  a visit  to 
,Fort  Walla  Walla,  he  heard  news  which  stirred  his 
patriotic  soul.  ^‘There  were  present  at  a dinner  offi- 
cers of  the  fort,  employees  of  the  company,  and  a 
few  Jesuit  priests.  During  the  dinner  a messenger 
came,  saying  that  immigrants  from  the  Red  River 
country  had  crossed  the  mountains,  and  had  reached 
Fort  Colville  on  the  Columbia.  Nearly  all  present 
received  this  news  enthusiastically.  One  priest  rose 
to  his  feet  and  shouted : ‘Hurrah  for  Oregon ! Amer- 
ica is  too  late!  We  have  got  the  country!’  In  the 
judgment  of  Dr.  Whitman,  the  hour  for  action  had 
arrived.”  He  felt  that  America  must  be  made  to 
see  the  value  of  Oregon  and  that  it  must  be  saved  to 
the  Union,  and  that  these  Indians  who  had  grown 
so  dear  to  him  must  be  given  the  proper  teaching  and 
training. 

Whitman’s  Patriotic  Rid^. 

To  bring  all  this  about  some  one  must  go  to  Wash- 
ington to  confer  with  the  President  and  secure  gov- 
ernment protection  for  American  citizens.  It  was  a 
journey  of  four  or  five  months,  and  must  therefore  be 
begun  at  once.  Such  a trip  at  this  time  of  year  had 
untold  dangers,  for  the  first  snows  were  already  falling 
and  the  trip  would  last  through  the  worst  part  of  the 

37 


winter.  However,  Whitman  was  not  to  be  daunted. 
Taking  one  companion  and  a guide,  he  started  on  his 
trip  of  3,000  miles. 

“Listen,  my  children,  and  you  shall  hear 
Of  a hero’s  ride  that  saved  a State. 

A midnight  ride?  Nay,  child,  for  a year 

He  rode  with  the  message  that  could  not  wait. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-two; 

No  railroad  then  had  gone  crashing  through 
To  the  Western  coast;  not  a telegraph  wire 
Had  guided  there  the  electric  fire; 

But  a fire  burned  in  one  strong  man’s  breast 

For  a beacon-light.  You  shall  hear  the  rest.” 

After  ten  days  of  traveling  he  reached  Fort  Hall, 
where  he  was  told  of  a war  going  on  between  the 
Pawnees  and  the  Sioux,  which  made  the  usual  route 
impossible.  But  again  he  refused  to  be  turned  back 
and  resolutely  changed  his  course,  turning  south  by 
way  of  Santa  Fe,  adding  nearly  i,ooo  miles  to  his 
journey.  Indians,  wild  beasts  and  snow-storms  were 
encountered.  In  one  of  these  storms  the  travelers 
lost  their  way,  and  were  saved  only  by  the  instinct  of 
one  of  the  mules,  which  guided  them  back  to  camp. 
Another  time  they  came  to  a river  which  was  frozen 
a third  of  the  way  across  on  either  side,  with  a rapid 
current  150  or  200  yards  wide  in  the  middle.  But 
even  this  was  not  too  much  for  Whitman,  and  with- 
out hesitation  he  plunged  into  the  icy  water  and 
swam  across,  while  his  companions  followed.  After 
being  compelled  to  rest  for  two  weeks  at  Fort  Taos, 
he  reached  Washington  in  March,  1843,  with  both 
hands  and  feet  badly  frozen.  Disregarding  his  own 
discomfort,  he  immediately  sought  an  interview  with 
Daniel  Webster,  the  Secretary  of  State.  Both  Web- 

38 


ster  and  President  Tyler  considered  Oregon  too  far 
away  for  settlers  to  reach,  and  consequently  of  no 
value  to  the  United  States.  But  Whitman  argued 
his  case  not  only  before  them,  but  also  before  Sena- 
tors and  Representatives,  saying  he  had  crossed  the 
Rockies  four  times,  had  taken  a wagon  across  seven 
years  before,  and  intended  taking  a large  company  to 
Oregon  in  the  spring.  He  also  told  of  the  excellent 
soil  and  healthful  climate.  Finally  the  President 
gave  his  decision:  Whitman’s  missionary  character 
was  sufficient  proof  of  his  honesty  and  sincerity ; 
therefore,  if  he  could  establish  a wagon  road  across 
the  Rockies,  President  Tyler  would  use  his  influence 
to  hold  Oregon  for  the  United  States.  Whitman 
felt  sure  that  with  God’s  help  he  would  succeed.  In 
May  he  started  for  the  West  once  more,  taking  with 
him  nearly  i,ooo  persons,  120  wagons,  about  700 
oxen  and  nearly  800  loose  cattle.  Many  of  these 
people  had  been  planning  to  settle  in  the  West,  and 
Whitman’s  timely  visit  East,  his  addresses,  pamphlets 
and  newspaper  articles  in  regard  to  the  opportunities 
in  Oregon,  together  with  his  promise  of  guidance, 
decided  them.  After  many  toils  and  dangers,  they 
finally  reached  their  destination. 

Oregon  Saved  eor  the  Union. 

In  the  meantime,  while  Dr.  Whitman  was  in  the 
East,  a provisional  government  had  been  set  up  in 
Oregon  by  the  settlers  already  there.  It  was  a con- 
test between  the  Americans,  of  whom  there  were  fifty- 
two,  and  the  English  and  Hudson  Bay  Company  men, 
of  whom  there  were  fifty.  ‘Tt  was  voted  to  choose 
officers  and  a committee  of  nine  persons  to  draft  a 

39 


code  of  laws.  The  American  party  had  triumphed, 
but  the  vote  was  so  close  and  the  two  parties  so 
evenly  divided  that  it  was  considered  politic  to  do  as 
little  as  possible  until  further  immigration  should  in- 
crease their  numbers.”  This  increase  came  with  the 
settlers  brought  out  by  Dr.  Whitman,  and  the 
American  majority  then  became  so  great  that  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  withdrew  from  the  field  and 
Oregon  was  saved  to  the  Union. 

Sl/AIN  BY  EnEMIEJS. 

But  during  Whitman’s  absence,  rumors  and  re- 
ports had  been  spread  among  the  Indians  to  the  effect 
that  a great  company  of  white  people  were  coming, 
under  his  guidance,  to  take  away  their  lands.  These 
reports  made  them  very  suspicious  and  distrustful. 
The  grist-mill  at  one  of  the  mission  stations  was  set 
on  fire  and  burned  and  growing  disaffection  was 
apparent.  As  time  went  on  this  distrust  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians  became  more  widespread.  Being  very 
superstitious,  they  readily  believed  a story  that  was 
circulated  to  the  effect  that  Dr.  Whitman  was  poison- 
ing them,  as  large  numbers  died  from  an  epidemic  of 
measles.  Yet  Dr.  Whitman  labored  on,  teaching 
them  the  story  of  Christ,  healing  their  sick,  and  show- 
ing towards  them  that  love  of  God  which  filled  his 
own  heart  to  overflowing.  It  soon  became  apparent 
that  some  conspiracy  was  being  formed.  The  days 
from  November  29th  to  December  6th,  1847,  were 
days  of  horror  and  crime  in  Oregon.  A terrific  mas- 
sacre took  place  in  which  fourteen  were  killed  and 
most  of  the  others  were  taken  prisoners  and  sub- 
jected to  most  fearful  outrages  and  tortures.  Among 

40 


the  murdered  were  Whitman  and  his  wife;  indeed, 
Whitman  was  the  first  of  all  to  fall,  killed  by  those 
to  whom  he  had  devoted  his  whole  life.  The  night 
before  he  was  killed,  anticipating  his  probable  mas- 
sacre, he  said  to  Mr.  Spalding,  '‘My  death  may  do  as 
much  good  to  Oregon  as  my  life  can.’’ 

Whitman’s  Intluj^nce. 

But  although  Whitman’s  active  service  was  thus 
tragically  brought  to  a close  after  eleven  short  years, 
the  service  which  he  rendered  to  God  and  to  the  Uni- 
ted States  did  not  stop  there.  “Let  it  not  be  for- 
gotten that  our  republic  is  indebted  to  the  enlightened 
patriotism  of  Marcus  Whitman,  who  heroically  defied 
the  dangers  of  a winter  journey  across  the  continent, 
and  by  the  communication  of  important  facts  to  our 
Government  prevented  the  cession  of  a large  portion 
of  our  Pacific  domain  to  Great  Britain.” 

Questions. 

1.  Contrast  Oregon  one  hundred  years  ago  and  to- 

day, geographically,  politically,  industrially 
and  commercially. 

2.  How  was  it  secured  to  the  United  States? 

3.  What  traits  of  character  were  required  in  a mis- 

sionary to  the  Oregon  country,  and  which  of 
these  did  Whitman  possess? 

4.  Describe  Whitman’s  life  among  the  Indians. 

5.  What  motives  led  to  his  ride  to  Washington? 

6.  How  do  you  think  our  country  can  best  pay  its 

obligation  to  the  missionary  Marcus  Whit- 
man? 


41 


Books. 

“The  Story  of  Marcus  Whitman,”  by  J.  G.  Craig- 
head. 

“How  Marcus  Whitman  Saved  Oregon,”  by  Nixon. 
“Marcus  Whitman  and  the  Early  Days  of  Ore- 
gon,” by  William  A.  Mowry. 

“The  Oregon  Trail,”  by  Parkman. 

“Whitman’s  Ride,”  by  O.  W.  Nixon. 

“Great  Missionaries  of  the  Church,”  by  Creegan, 
Chap.  21. 


42 


STUDY  IV. 


■Rev.  Cgerton  TR.  l^ouns 

1840«» 

faiisstonatis  Weroes  to  tbe  Indians 

No  clearer  idea  of  a missionary's  work  among  the 
Indians  can  be  obtained  than  from  the  description 
given  by  Mr.  Young  in  his  many  books  on  his  life 
among  the  Red  Men.  These  books  are  full  of  inter- 
esting and  amusing  stories  of  Indian  life,  manners 
and  customs,  and  provoke  many  a smile  at  their  queer 
ways,  as  well  as  sympathy  for  their  ignorance,  ad- 
miration for  the  missionary’s  long  suffering  and  per- 
severance, and  joy  for  each  and  every  one  of  his 
triumphs. 

Boyhood  and  Education. 

Egerton  R.  Young  was  born  in  1840  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Ontario,  Canada.  His  father,  William  Young, 
was  a minister,  and  his  mother’s  father,  the  Rev. 
Solomon  Waldron,  was  a missionary  to  the  Indians. 
Mr.  Young  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Ontario  until  he  was  sixteen,  when  he  began  to 
support  himself  by  teaching  school.  The  money  he 
thus  earned  he  used  to  complete  his  own  education, 
and  graduated  from  the  Normal  School  in  Toronto 

43 


with  highest  honors.  He  first  intended  studying 
medicine,  but  changed  his  plans  and  eventually 
entered  the  ministry. 

Call  to  thl  Mission  Field. 

In  1868  when  he  was  pastor  of  a church  in  Hamil- 
ton, there  suddenly  came  to  him  a call  from  the 
Board  to  go  out  among  the  Indians  as  a missionary. 
It  was  the  more  unexpected  as  Mr.  Young  had  never 
volunteered  nor  even  expressed  any  intention  of  at 
any  time  entering  the  mission  field.  Moreover,  it 
came  in  the  midst  of  a revival  season,  and  he  was 
earnestly  urged  by  his  congregation  to  stay  and  con- 
tinue the  wonderful  work  in  which  he  was  even  then 
engaged.  Mr.  Young,  however,  after  laying  the 
matter  before  the  Lord,  decided  it  was  the  call  of  God, 
and  therefore  not  to  be  disregarded.  Accordingly 
he  accepted  the  proposition,  and  was  assigned  the 
post  at  Norway  House,  in  the  region  of  Lake  Winni- 
peg. Here  he  and  his  wife  arrived  only  six  months 
after  receiving  the  call,  and  immediately  entered 
heart  and  soul  into  the  work  before  them. 

At  Work  Among  the  Indians. 

Mr.  Young  found  among  these  Indians  both  pagans 
and  converts,  for  he  was  not  the  first  missionary  to 
visit  this  region.  Indeed,  a goodly  number  of  these 
people  had  copies  of  the  Bible,  printed  in  their  own 
language  in  the  wonderful  syllabic  characters  in- 
vented by  the  Rev.  James  Evans  in  1840.  Each  of 
these  characters  stands  for  a syllable,  and  they  are 
therefore  more  rapidly  and  more  easily  learned  by 
the  Indians  than  the  regular  alphabet.  Great  was 

44 


the  joy  of  these  men  and  women  to  be  able  to  wel- 
come one  who  would  explain  to  them  more  fully  the 
meaning  of  this  wonderful  book  which  they  were  so 
fond  of  reading.  They  had  also  learned  some  hymns, 
and  Mr.  Young’s  heart  was  gladdened  when,  of  an 
evening  above  the  shouts  and  yells  from  the  con- 
jurers’ tents  could  be  heard  the  sweet  notes  of  some 
beautiful  Christian  hymn  from  the  home  of  one  of 
the  converts. 

Each  Sunday  three  services  were  held.  In  the 
morning  the  Sunday-school,  followed  by  a public 
service  in  English,  attended  by  men  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  as  well  as  by  Indians.  In  the  after- 
noon “the  Indians’  own  service,”  which  was  con- 
ducted in  their  own  language  and  especially  for  them. 
All  of  these  services  were  well  attended  and  Mr. 
Young  found  the  Indians  very  reverent  and  attentive. 
One  day  the  service  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  a shouting  pagan  Indian,  who,  as  he  was  not  op- 
posed, after  a while  grew  calm,  sat  down,  smoked  and 
listened.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  toleration  shown 
by  his  congregation,  Mr.  Young  would  not  have  per- 
mitted such  an  interruption,  but  his  people  thus 
explained  it  afterwards : “Such  were  we  once,  as 
ignorant  as  he  is  now.  Let  us  have  patience  with 
him,  and  perhaps  he  too  will  soon  decide  to  give  his 
heart  to  God.  Let  him  alone ; he  will  get  quiet  when 
he  gets  the  light.” 

In^luhnc^  o:p  Christianity  on  Indian  Character. 

The  love  and  kindness  which  the  Christian  Indians 
exhibit  toward  the  unconverted  ones,  in  their  anxiety 
to  bring  into  these  dark  lives  the  light  and  peace 

45 


which  has  entered  their  own,  are  more  than  touching. 
It  is  a particular  matter  of  wonder  when  we  consider 
the  Indian  character.  One  of  the  main  features  is 
their  rigid  self-control  under  all  circumstances.  Not 
a sign  of  surprise  must  be  apparent  even  at  the  most 
startling  occurrence.  No  great  joy  or  even  sorrow 
must  be  shown  in  the  expression  of  the  face.  Even 
while  being  tortured,  an  Indian  will  sometimes  taunt 
and  scoff  at  his  enemies  and  laugh  in  derision  at  their 
apparently  futile  attempts  to  make  him  suffer.  This 
gravity  and  self-control  does  away  with  all  signs  of 
love  and  affection,  even  in  the  home,  no  matter  how 
fond  or  proud  a man  may  be  of  his  children.  The 
wife  is  never  regarded  as  anything  but  a slave,  and 
has  no  claim  on  her  husband’s  affection.  Courtesy 
to  a woman  marks  a man  as  a slave  and  a fool.  Here 
is  felt  the  wonderful  influence  of  Christianity.  A 
man  who,  in  his  ignorance,  has  abused  his  wife  all  his 
life,  now  cares  for  her  tenderly.  In  one  instance, 
two  strong  Indians  who  had  scarcely  touched  their 
old  mother  for  years  except  to  push  her  into  her 
comer,  or  even  beat  her  when  angry,  now  carried 
her  tenderly  to  church  in  their  arms,  that  she  too 
might  enjoy  the  service.  Woman  is  at  last  given 
her  rightful  position  in  the  home. 

The  Curse  oe  Liquor. 

The  greatest  curse  among  the  Indians  is  the 
“White  Man’s  fire-water,”  as  brandy,  whisky,  rum, 
etc.,  are  called.  No  race  becomes  more  infatuated 
with  the  taste  than  does  the  Indian.  Once  he  gets 
a drop  of  it,  his  thirst  is  absolutely  insatiable.  An 
intoxicated  Indian  is  a fiend  incarnate ; all  his  bad  and 

46 


savage  qualities  are  brought  out.  Cruelty  of  all 
kinds,  and  even  murder,  is  the  result  of  their 
drunken  revelries,  and  many  an  Indian  causes  his 
own  death  by  wrecking  his  constitution  to  satisfy  this 
awful  craving.  It  is  one  of  the  worst  blots  on  the 
white  man’s  character  that  the  fur  traders  use  this 
as  a means  of  dulling  the  wits  of  the  Indians  so  as  to 
be  able  to  drive  better  bargains  with  them,  and  thus 
introduce  this  curse  into  their  homes.  One  Indian 
actually  said  that  it  was  better  to  be  at  war  with  the 
white  people  than  to  accept  their  friendship  and  their 
drink,  for  this  fire-water  had  killed  more  of  their 
men  in  years  of  peace  than  they  had  lost  when  at 
war.  For  this  reason  Mr.  Young  made  all  of  his 
churches  total  abstinence  societies,  and  again  and 
again  had  reason  to  see  that  in  doing  so  he  acted 
wisely. 


ON  THE  Frontier. 

His  mode  of  traveling  was  not  an  easy  one,  and 
many  and  varied  were  the  adventures  he  had  on  his 
trips.  As  long  as  the  rivers  and  lakes  were  not  frozen 
canoes  were  used.  But  the  true  hardships  set  in 
when  winter  came.  Then  canoes  were  exchanged 
for  dog-sleds.  After  traveling  all  day,  running  along- 
side of  their  dog-trains,  Mr.  Young  and  his  Indian 
guides  would  camp  for  the  night. 

A fire  was  built,  the  fish  thawed  out  for  the  dogs, 
and  sometimes  meat  for  the  men,  some  tea  made, 
and  supper  was  ready.  The  necessity  of  repeatedly 
thawing  out  the  meat  during  the  course  of  one  meal 
and  the  freezing  of  the  tea  in  the  cups  were  common 
occurrences  in  that  climate.  Then  again,  although 

47 


heedless  at  first  of  the  Indians’  warnings,  Mr.  Young 
soon  found  the  wisdom  of  following  his  guides’  ad- 
vice, and  sleeping  with  not  so  much  as  a finger  or 
the  end  of  his  nose  uncovered.  There  is  great  dan- 
ger of  freezing  to  death,  and  there  are  also  the 
dangers  of  snow-blindness  and  of  being  lost  in  a 
blizzard.  Such  cold  and  such  hardships  the  traders 
are  willing  to  brave  for  the  sake  of  gaining  money. 
They  even  outnumber  the  missionaries,  and  yet  how 
much  greater  is  the  gain  of  one  soul  for  Christ  than 
all  their  wealth! 

An  Indian  Conjurer. 

It  is  a pity  that  each  station  could  be  visited  only 
twice  a year,  and  although  these  meetings  of  mission- 
ary and  people  were  generally  joyful,  Mr.  Young 
sometimes  encountered  some  very  sad  incidents.  At 
one  station  there  was  a very  old  man  who,  although 
originally  a conjurer  held  in  deadly  fear  by  all  his 
people,  became  a most  earnest  and  devoted  Christian. 
He  would  follow  Mr.  Young  about,  listening  to  his 
every  word,  even  appearing  next  to  him  sometimes 
when  Mr.  Young  knelt  down  to  say  his  prayers  at 
night,  and  asking  him  to  “pray  out  loud  and  in  the 
Indian  language,  so  that  old  Indian  could  understand 
too.”  On  one  of  his  visits  Mr.  Young  missed  this 
old  man,  and,  upon  inquiring  about  him,  heard  this 
sad  story:  The  old  Indian  had  died  wishing  for  the 
missionary,  who  had  brought  him  so  much  joy,  com- 
fort and  peace.  The  man  of  God  had  told  him  many 
wonderful  things,  but  his  aged  mind  was  too  feeble 
for  him  to  remember.  And  so,  while  urging  all  those 
about  him  to  listen  to  the  missionary  when  he  came 

48 


a^ain,  and  accept  the  wonderful  truths  which  he 
spake,  the  old  Indian  died,  “as  his  fathers  had  died 
before  him,”  beating  his  conjurer’s  drum  and  looking 
at  his  medicine  bag.  Twice  a year ! How.  much  it 
means  to  those  who  are  struggling  in  the  dark,  and 
yet  how  pitifully  little  and  insufficient  it  is  proved  to 
be  by  such  incidents  as  this! 

A Seekkr  Aeter  Truth, 

Again,  listen  to  this  seeker  after  truth  who  offered 
the  following  explanation  to  Mr,  Young  for  his  rea- 
son for  worshiping  idols:  “Missionary,  the  Indian’s 
mind  is  dark,  and  he  cannot  grasp  the  unseen.  He 
hears  the  Great  Spirit’s  voice  in  the  thunder  and 
storms.  He  sees  the  evidence  of  His  existence  all 
around,  but  neither  he  nor  his  fathers  have  ever  seen 
the  Great  Spirit  or  anyone  who  has ; and  so  he  does 
not  know  what  He  looks  like.  But  man  is  the  high- 
est creature  that  he  knows  of,  and  so  he  makes  his 
idols  like  a man  and  calls  it  his  'manitou.’  We  only 
worship  them  because  we  do  not  know  what  the 
Great  Spirit  looks  like,  but  these  we  can  understand.” 
Compare  with  this  Philip’s  request:  “Show  us  the 
Father  and  it  sufficeth  us.”  Are  the  two  demands  so 
very  different?  And  shall  we  not  show  such  men  as 
this  Indian  the  way  to  the  Father  whom  they  so  long 
to  know?  How  can  we  answer  such  an  accusation 
as  that  of  one  Indian  to  whom  Mr.  Young  had  just 
explained  the  wonder  of  Christian  brotherhood: 
“Well,  I do  not  want  to  be  rude,  but  it  does  seem  to 
me  that  you,  my  white  brother,  have  been  a long 
time  in  coming  with  that  great  Book  and  its  won- 
derful story  to  tell  it  to  your  red  brothers  in  the 

49 


woods.’^  It  is  a sad  truth,  and  one  which  each  one 
of  us  should  do  his  share  to  correct  and  help  do  away 
with. 

After  several  years  of  incessant  toil  among  these 
interesting  people,  Mr.  Young  was  obliged  to  leave 
the  field,  owing  to  his  wife’s  ill  health  and  the  need 
of  education  for  his  children.  For  some  years  he 
served  as  pastor  of  different  churches,  but  there 
came  a call  from  England  and  the  United  States  to 
tell  the  story  of  his  life,  and  Mr.  Young,  in  whose 
heart  still  burned  the  Indians’  pleas  and  cries  for 
light,  took  this  opportunity  to  try  to  enlist  the  sym- 
pathy and  help  of  the  world.  Since  then  he  has  been 
traveling  about,  lecturing  and  preaching,  stirring 
thousands  with  his  thrilling  tales  about  the  Indians. 
May  God  grant  that  as  a result  of  his  labors  many 
more  may  be  sent  into  this  needy  harvest! 

Questions. 

1.  Where  was  Mr.  Young  when  he  decided  to  go  to 

the  Mission  field,  and  what  led  him  to  do  so? 

2.  How  was  he  received  by  the  Indians  ? 

3.  If  you  had  accompanied  Mr.  Young  on  some  of  his 

missionary  tours,  what  would  have  been  the 
mode  of  travel  and  what  supplies  would  you 
have  taken? 

4.  What  traits  of  Indian  character  would  you  com- 

mend, and  which  condemn? 

5.  Mention  some  incidents  which  prove  the  Indians’ 

interest  in  religion. 

Interesting  Books  by  Dr.  E.  R.  Young. 
“With  My  Dogs  in  the  Northland.” 

“By  Canoe  and  Dog  Train.” 

50 


‘‘On  the  Indian  Trail/’ 

"‘Three  Boys  in  the  Wild  North  Land/’ 

“Stories  from  Indian  Wigwams  and  Northern 
Camp  Fires.” 

“Oowikapun.” 


5! 


STUDY  V. 


tEbe  2)arli  (Tontlnent 

nuisstonans  Zeroes  to  tbe  micans 

When  Stanley  returned  a few  years  ago  from  his 
famous  expedition  and  wrote  “In  Darkest  Africa/'  all 
the  world  knew  why  he  so  spoke  of  this  great  conti- 
nent. It  is  black  primarily  because  of  the  degrada- 
tion of  its  inhabitants,  for  upon  them  the  light  of  the 
gospel  has  not  yet  fully  shone.  Witchcraft,  slavery, 
plunder,  murder,  cruelty,  ignorance,  have  long  held 
sway,  and  in  her  distress,  Ethiopia  is  stretching  out 
her  hands  to  God.  As  truly  as  the  man  from  Mace- 
donia, does  Africa's  need  cry  out  to  the  Christian 
Church  of  to-day : “Come  over  and  help  us." 

Size. 

Africa  is  second  only  to  Asia  in  size,  and  three 
times  larger  than  Europe.  Its  centre  is  eleven  hun- 
dred miles  inland.  “Two  persons  might  live  well 
within  the  borders  of  the  Soudan,  and  yet  be  farther 
apart  than  London  is  from  Khartoum." 

“Africa  may  be  regarded  as  a plateau  of  moderate 
elevation,  its  mean  altitude  being  about  two  thousand 
feet  above  sea  level.  Tt  is  the  most  tropical  country 
in  the  world.'  The  most  humid  region  lies  around 
the  Niger  delta,  while  the  driest  place  is  the  Sahara, 

52 


which,  contrary  to  common  belief,  is  not  all  sand. 
In  it  are  found  plateaus  and  mountains  and  desert 
country,  dotted  here  and  there  with  oases.  Only 
one-ninth  of  the  desert  is  sand.’' 

Material  Resources. 

Nature  has  made  Africa  almost  if  not  quite  the 
richest  of  the  continents.  Ivory  has  formerly  been 
plentiful.  The  Kimberley  diamond  mines  are  too 
well  known  to  need  any  comment,  while  the  gold 
fields  are  almost  as  far-famed.  Coal,  copper  and 
iron  abound,  and  rubber  is  one  of  the  chief  exports. 
Not  all  of  these  products  are  found  in  any  one  place. 
‘‘Africa  is  a land  of  extreme  contradictions.  In  one 
region  will  be  found  valueless  reeds,  and  in  another 
mines  of  incalculable  wealth.” 

Antiquity. 

The  Dark  Continent’s  history  dates  back  to  the 
days  when  Abram  fled  from  Canaan  to  Eg^^pt  to 
escape  famine,  more  than  2,000  years  before  Christ. 
(Gen.  12:  10.)  That  it  possessed  vast  libraries  cen- 
turies before  the  Christian  era  has  been  proved  by 
recent  excavations;  libraries  gathered  when  the  West 
was  unknown  and  undreamed  of,  and  the  Grecian  and 
Roman  Empires  were  yet  unborn.  Africa  was  the 
seat  of  the  world’s  learning.  Herodotus,  Eratos- 
thenes and  other  great  thinkers  she  counted  among 
her  scholars. 

Early  Christianity  in  Aerica. 

The  early  Christian  Church  was  not  slow  to  realize 
Africa’s  commanding  position  because  of  her  intellec- 
ts 


tual  attainments,  and  sought  to,  and  indeed  did,  plant 
herself  in  her  midst.  This  African  Church,  which 
continued  for  a period  of  six  or  seven  hundred  years, 
probably  began  with  the  conversion  of  certain  “dwell- 
ers in  Egypt,’'  who  heard  Peter’s  sermon  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  (Acts  2:  10.) 

At  the  time  of  Christ’s  birth  and  for  many  years 
thereafter  Rome  was  the  mistress  of  the  world,  and 
Egypt  as  well  as  Palestine  was  a Roman  province. 
As  Christianity  increased,  pagan  Rome  began  sys- 
tematic persecution.  It  was  bitter  in  Africa,  as  there 
the  Church  was  especially  strong.  Martyrs  there 
were  for  the  faith  in  those  days,  persecution  but  in- 
tensifying the  Church’s  zeal  and  fidelity. 

Intellectually  the  Church  during  these  early  cen- 
turies was  marvelously  strong,  for  such  men  as 
Clement,  Origen,  Tertullian,  Cyprian  and  Augustine 
were  among  her  representatives.  Her  missionary  zeal 
was  intense,  between  nine  and  fifteen  hundred 
churches  flourishing  in  North  Africa  alone  during 
this  period.  Had  the  good  work  continued  which 
was  thus  begun,  there  would  be  to-day  no  “dark”  con- 
tinent with  200,000,000  pagans  and  Mohammedans 
living  without  any  knowledge  of  the  Saviour,  and 
dying  at  the  rate  of  15,000  each  day,  with  no  hope 
beyond  the  grave. 

Church’s  Decay — Mohammedanism. 

Very  naturally  the  question  is  asked  as  to  the  cause 
of  this  changed  condition.  It  is  easily  answered.  It 
was  not  persecution  from  without,  but  influences 
from  within  that  caused  the  Church’s  downfall.  In- 
stead of  expending  her  strength  and  effort  in  evan- 

54 


gelism,  the  Church  concerned  herself  rather  with 
endless  doctrinal  disputes  and  discussions.  She  was 
rent  asunder  by  schisms  and  grew  cold  and  indiffer- 
ent. As  a natural  result,  missionary  fervor  died. 

Growing  colder  and  more  indifferent  as  the  years 
passed  by,  Africa  presented  a capital  field  for  the 
Mohammedan  missionaries.  Early  in  the  seventh 
century  Mohammedanism  began  what  she  hoped 
would  be  the  conquest  of  the  world.  Fanatical  proph- 
ets of  the  false  faith  entered  Africa  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Akbah,  and  while  it  took  centuries  to  com- 
pletely depose  Christianity — with  a perseverance  that 
would  do  credit  to  the  followers  of  our  Lord — they 
persevered  and  won,  and  North  Africa  became  one  of 
the  strongholds  of  Islam. 

Some:  Comparisons. 

Attention  has  been  called  to  Africans  immensity, 
natural  resources,  antiquity  and  learning.  Consider 
now  some  contrasts. 

Africa  is  immense,  geographically  speaking,  but  the 
Africa  controlled  by  the  African  occupies  only  one 
twenty-third  of  the  area  of  the  entire  continent;  that 
is,  but  500,000  out  of  its  11,500,000  square  miles.  The 
story  of  the  country’s  colonization  is  that  of  a 
'‘colossal  game  of  grab.” 

Africa  is  rich,  and  yet  Africa  is  to-day  the  poorest 
spot  in  the  world,  save  parts  of  India.  The  ore  val- 
ued so  highly  by  Europeans  and  Americans  is  little 
thought  of  by  their  dusky  brothers,  who  prefer  the 
glitter  of  a handful  of  colored  beads  to  the  lump  of 
reddish  gold.  Ignorance  and  inadequate  machinery 
make  the  working  of  rich  mines  impracticable  if  not 

55 


impossible  to  the  natives,  and  fertile  Africa  is  often 
for  them  famished  Africa. 

Again,  Africa  is  ancient,  yet  it  is  equally  true  that 
Africa  is  the  last  discovered  continent.  Re-discovered 
it  were  better  to  say.  Up  to  1850,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Mediterranean  coast,  Africa  was  an  unlocked 
continent,  concerning  which  were  written  these  lines : 

“Geographers  in  Africa’s  maps 
Put  savage  beasts  to  fill  up  gaps. 

And  o’er  inhabitable  downs 

Put  elephants  for  want  of  towns.” 

Exploration  may  be  said  not  to  have  been  success- 
fully undertaken  until  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  when  Livingstone,  Speke,  Burton,  Grant, 
Cameron  and  Stanley  went  out,  to  whose  faith  and 
fearlessness  the  world  owes  a continent. 

Africa  is  a land  of  learning.  The  tense  needs  to 
be  changed,  for  to-day,  among  the  pagans,  not  one 
adult  in  2,100  can  read.  Among  the  Mohammedans 
ignorance  is  not  quite  so  dense. 

One  more  comparison.  We  saw,  because  of  the 
gospePs  progress  in  the  early  Christian  centuries, 
Africa  light;  we  now  see  it  dark.  No  pen  can  de- 
pict its  blackness,  no  literary  powers  paint  the  horror 
of  its  night.  Take  from  your  life  God,  so  that  you 
have  no  one  upon  whom  to  lean.  Having  done  this, 
remember  you  cannot  pray.  See  in  every  catas- 
trophe which  befalls  you  the  working  of  some  evil 
spirit  whom  a charm  worn  around  your  neck  has 
failed  to  propitiate,  and  then  you  would  have  but  a 
suggestion  of  the  darkness  of  the  average  African 
mind.  ‘Tn  a fearfully  real  sense,  to  the  African,  the 

56 


^things  which  are  seen  are  temporal,  and  the  things 
which  are  not  seen  are  eternal/  His  terror  is  the 
environment  of  evil  spirits,  peopling  the  air,  hiding 
in  the  trees,  whispering  in  the  wavelets  of  the  stream, 
seated  on  the  crest  of  every  hill,  and  lurking  in  the 
rank  grasses  of  the  plain.  * * * We  have  only 

to  add  that  these  satanic  agencies  are  all  accredited 
with  a vindictive  hatred  to  the  human  race,  to  com- 
plete the  picture  of  unspeakable  horror  that  crouches 
like  a nightmare  upon  the  hearts  of  the  African 
people.’’ 

^‘Even  in  districts  where  Mohammedanism  has  the 
firmest  hold,  it  has  not  superseded,  but  rather  grafted 
itself  upon  the  superstitious  demon  worship  of  the 
natives.” 

Christianity,  in  the  days  of  long  ago,  lost  her 
chance,  and  Mohammedanism  has  proved  itself  an 
utter  failure,  not  in  winning  converts,  but  in  changing 
lives.  The  Mohammedan  is,  if  the  truth  were  told, 
a heathen  with  the  polish  and  veneer  of  Islam  grafted 
upon  his  superstitious  nature.  To-day  there  comes 
to  the  Church  another  chance,  another  opportunity 
to  win,  if  we  but  will,  this  mighty  continent  for 
Christ. 

Questions. 

1.  Why  is  Africa  called  “the  Dark  Continent”? 

2.  Should  you  travel  from  north  to  south  what  kind 

of  region  would  you  traverse,  and  what  nat- 
ural resources  of  the  country  would  you  con- 
sider valuable  ? 

3.  In  view  of  Africa’s  ancient  history,  and  early  intro- 

duction of  Christianity,  how  do  you  account 
for  her  present  heathenism  ? 

57 


4-  What  is  the  Church’s  present  opportunity  and  ob- 
ligation ? 

5.  Along  what  lines  does  Africa  need  development, 
and  how  can  it  best  be  accomplished? 
Ii^TER^sTiNG  Books  for  Scholars. 
“Tropical  Africa,”  by  Prof.  Henry  W.  Drummond. 
“Fetichism  in  West  Africa,”  by-  Robert  Nassau, 
D.D. 

Books  for  Teachers  Before  Teaching  This 
Study. 

“Dawn  in  the  Dark  Continent,”  by  James  Stewart, 
D.D.,  M.D. 

“Tropical  Africa,”  by  Prof.  Henry  Drummond. 
“Islam  in  Africa,”  by  Atterbury. 

“In  Darkest  Africa,”  by  Henry  M.  Stanley. 
“Fetichism  in  West  Africa,”  by  Robert  Nassau, 
D.D. 

“Travel  in  West  Africa,”  by  Mary  H.  Kingsley. 


58 


STUDY  VI. 

IRobcrt  nnoffat 

1795^1883 

fBltBsionar^  IHctoes  to  tbe  Btricana 
Bmong  tbe  :83ecbuanaa  ot  South  Btrica 

‘'Oh,  that  I had  a thousand  lives  and  a thousand  bodies:  all 
of  them  should  he  devoted  to  no  other  employment  but  to 
preach  Christ  to  these  degraded,  despised  and  yet  beloved 
mortals/* — Robert  Moffat. 

One  of  the  first  missionaries  to  the  Dark  Continent 
was  Robert  Moffat,  who  went  to  South  Africa  in  the 
days  of  the  early  pioneers.  At  that  time  Africa  was 
regarded  as  the  land  from  which  ‘'no  man  returned.” 
It  seemed  like  going  to  certain  death,  but  Moffat  did 
not  flinch,  for  in  his  heart  was  a burning  desire  to 
make  Christ  known  to  the  pagan  Africans. 

Early  Training. 

Frugality  marked  the  simple  Scotch  home  of  his 
parents  at  Ormiston,  and  from  his  infancy  Robert 
was  accustomed  to  doing  without  luxuries.  Some- 
times even  the  necessities  were  denied,  but,  above  all, 
good  Christian  influences  surrounded  him.  A Shorter 
Catechism  with  the  alphabet  on  the  title-page  was  his 
first  text-book,  and  a six-months’  term  at  the  village 

59 


school  prepared  him  to  earn  his  own  living  at  an  age 
when  girls  and  boys  in  America  would  just  be  begin- 
ning really  to  study.  While  at  school  he  developed 
the  faculty  of  learning  to  do  well  everything  that  he 
undertook,  and  this  was  of  great  value  to  him  years 
afterwards  in  Africa. 

When  but  a lad  he  went  to  sea  for.  a short  time,  but 
tiring  of  a sailor’s  life,  he  became  a gardener’s  assist- 
ant. Realizing  for  the  first  time  his  lack  of  educa- 
tion, every  minute  that  could  be  spared  from  his 
flowers  went  to  study,  and  he  could  be  found  early 
and  late  poring  over  his  books. 

Possibly  the  strongest  factor  in  Moflfat’s  life  was 
the  influence  that  his  pious  mother  exerted.  Often, 
in  the  long  winter  evenings  when  the  family  were 
gathered  around  the  log  fire,  she  would  tell  stones 
of  missionaries  in  far-away  lands.  Little  did  she  then 
realize  that  one  of  her  own  children  would  himself 
one  day  become  a missionary. 

While  employed  at  High  Leigh  as  a gardener,  Rob- 
ert Moffat  went  one  afternoon  to  a village  some  six 
miles  distant.  While  crossing  a country  bridge  he 
noticed  a sign,  and  on  reading  it  discovered  that  it 
was  the  announcement  of  a missionary  meeting.  At 
once  all  the  missionary  stories  of  his  childhood  days 
came  rushing  to  his  mind,  and  with  them  the  thought. 
Why  should  not  I be  a missionar}^?  The  decision 
was  made  then  and  there. 

Preparation. 

Friends  became  interested  in  him,  a better  position 
was  obtained  on  a Mr.  Smith’s  place— a gentleman 
filled  with  missionary  zeal,  and  whose  daughter,  Mary, 

6o 


was  afterwards  married  to  Moffat.  After  years  of 
preparation  and  many  disappointments,  he  was  finally 
accepted  by  the  London  Missionary  Society  for  work 
in  the  South  Sea  Islands,  but  it  was  afterwards  de- 
cided to  send  him  to  Africa.  The  voyage  to  Cape 
Town  was  not  without  dangers,  and  after  eighty-six 
days,  Moffat  and  his  fellow-missionaries  were  glad  to 
land  in  the  country  upon  whose  future  he  was  to  have 
such  powerful  influence. 

Work  in  Africa. 

Moffat  brought  a tremendous  enthusiasm  to  his 
work.  An  early  training  had  fitted  him  to  endure 
hardships  and  to  suffer  privations.  By  his  general 
knowledge  he  was  as  capable  of  turning  blacksmith 
to  repair  a broken  wagon,  as  of  pleasing  the  Boers, 
through  whose  property  he  had  to  travel,  by  convers- 
ing with  them  in  their  own  language  or  amusing  them 
by  playing  on  his  violin.  Many  a time  its  strains  were 
to  echo  plaintively  through  the  desert  regions  of  his 
future  home. 


Afrikaner's  Kraal. 

Due  north  from  Cape  Town  over  stones  and  burn- 
ing sands,  into  parts  where  there  was  no  water  for 
either  man  or  beast,  for  four  months  Moffat  traveled, 
and  arrived  at  last  at  his  destination.  This  circle  of 
grass-mat  huts  was  presided  over  by  Afrikaner,  a 
chief  of  the  Bechuana  tribe,  whose  very  name  struck 
terror  into  the  natives’  hearts.  A bounty  was  even 
then  placed  on  his  head  by  the  English  Government 
for  the  numerous  crimes  he  had  committed.  When 
the  Boer  farmers  heard  that  Moffat  was  going  to 

6i 


Afrikaner's  village  they  tried  to  dissuade  him,  telling 
him  that  the  chief  would  make  a drum  out  of  his 
skin  and  would  make  a drinking  cup  out  of  his  skull. 
But  the  brave  missionary  was  not  to  be  thus  fright- 
ened. It  was  the  inhuman  treatment  that  Afrikaner 
had  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Boers  that  made 
him  an  outlaw.  He  had  been  employed  by  one  of 
them,  but  had  been  so  cruelly  and  unjustly  treated 
that  he  killed  his  master  and  fled  to  the  mountains. 
The  Boers  did  not  regard  the  natives  as  human 
beings,  and  when  Moffat  on  his  journey  stopped  over 
night  at  a Dutch  farmer’s  home  and  requested  that 
the  native  servants  should  be  called  in  for  family 
worship,  the  farmer  replied,  “What ! Call  the  Hotten- 
tots? You  might  as  well  gather  the  baboons  from 
the  mountains.”  Moffat  read  the  account  from  the 
Gospel  that  even  the  dogs  secured  the  crumbs  from 
the  master’s  table,  and  the  farmer,  stopping  him, 
called  in  the  servants  as  at  first  requested. 

Resuming  his  journey,  in  due  time  Moffat  reached 
Afrikaner’s  village.  Something  about  the  mission- 
ary’s manner  attracted  the  robber  chief,  and  from  the 
first  they  were  friends.  As  proof  of  it,  Afrikaner 
presented  Moffat  with  a house  made  in  less  than  half 
an  hour  from  leaves  and  grass  mats  by  the  women  of 
the  tribe. 

Manners  and  Customs  oe  the  Bechuanas. 

Like  the  Hottentots  and  all  the  South  African 
tribes,  the  Bechuanas  were  exceedingly  fond  of  orna- 
ments made  from  stones,  shells  and  bits  of  brass.  In 
fact,  they  wore  little  else.  The  women  were  the 
workers  in  the  tribe,  doing  their  own  and  also  “a 

62 


man’s  work.”  They  carried  heavy  burdens,  cared 
for  the  crops,  and  built  the  houses,  for  the  perma- 
nent houses  were  built  around  a central  pole,  tent 
fashion. 

Heartlessly,  the  old  and  helpless  among  them  were 
put  in  lonely  places  to  die  of  starvation.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Moffat  rescued  two  little  girls  from  being  buried 
alive  with  their  dead  mothers,  according  to  another 
well  established  tribal  custom. 

They  believed  in  all  kinds  of  witchcraft,  and  many 
an  unfortunate  has  suffered  tortures  as  a supposed 
witch.  It  was  the  surest  and  easiest  way  of  getting 
rid  of  an  enemy;  it  being  only  necessary  to  accuse 
him  of  being  a witch. 

Above  everything  else,  they  were  under  the  influ- 
ence of  their  Rain-makers.  Besides  their  supposed 
power,  these  men  were  their  doctors,  their  prophets, 
and  they  alone  were  supposed  to  be  able  to  rid  them 
of  the  power  of  the  witches.  Cattle  were  sacrificed  to 
them,  and  they  were  reverenced  like  gods.  These 
Rain-makers  were  the  greatest  enemies  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. If  their  arts  and  predictions  failed,  and 
the  hot  sun  shone,  instead  of  the  longed-for  rain  that 
they  had  been  brought  to  make,  the  blame  was  laid 
on  the  presence  of  the  missionary,  on  something  he 
had  said  or  done,  or  even  on  something  in  his  house. 

Nine  Years  Without  a Convert. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  picture  the  struggle 
Moffat  had  against  these  and  other  difficulties,  and 
yet  he  kept  on.  Tribal  wars  constantly  kept  his  vil- 
lage in  an  uproar.  There  was  no  written  language, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  get  a capable  interpreter. 

63 


Added  to  these  were  sickness  and  death  in  his  own 
family  and  the  discouragement  felt  at  home  because 
no  appreciable  progress  was  made.  Yet  for  nine 
years  Moflfat  worked  and  waited  patiently  and  in 
faith  for  spiritual  results.  Then,  like  a whirlwind, 
the  change  came  and  swept  everything  before  it. 
The  whole  village  was  transformed.  Men  and  women 
everywhere  were  asking:  “What  must  we  do  to  be 
saved  ?”  The  little  chapel  was  too  small  for  the  con- 
gregation, a new  one  was  built,  then  a school-house, 
and  then  new  houses  for  themselves,  which  they  fur- 
nished with  chairs  and  tables,  things  unknown  to 
them  before. 

Away  north  of  Kuruman  the  news  of  the  changes 
spread,  and  Mosilikatse,  the  “Lion’s  Paw”  and  the 
“Napoleon  of  the  Desert,”  heard,  and  sent  two  war- 
riors to  see  if  it  were  true  and  to  invite  Moffat  to 
visit  them.  With  true  missionary  spirit  he  went,  and 
this  journey  over  unknown  ways  was  the  first  of  the 
long  series  of  missionary  travels  that  afterwards 
made  Livingstone  famous.  Indeed,  it  is  due  to  Mof- 
fat’s influence  that  Livingstone  gave  his  life  to 
Africa.  Possibly  Moffat’s  greatest  work  was  the 
translating  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  language  of  the 
Bechuanas.  It  was  the  labor  of  years,  for  first  it 
had  to  be  reduced  to  written  characters,  and  to-day 
Moflfat’s  translation  is  still  used  in  South  Africa. 

Truly  of  his  work  it  can  be  said:  “One  shall  sow 
and  another  reap.”  A glance  at  South  Africa  will 
prove  that. 

“A  journey  to  Kuruman  to-day  would  take  you 
over  well-laid  roads.  There  would  be  no  fording  of 
rivers  or  being  rafted  over  them,  for  well-constructed 

64 


bridges  (one  magnificent  one  over  the  Orange  River) 
may  now  be  found,  and  where  once  the  lion  roamed 
in  bold  freedom,  you  would  find  neat  towns,  you 
would  find  the  land  abounding  in  peace  and  plenty, 
and  the  light  of  the  ‘Sun  of  Righteousness’  shining 
in  many  places,”  and  all  this  largely  due  to  the  efforts 
of  Robert  Moffat. 


Questions. 

1.  What  remarkable  circumstance  led  to  Mofi^at’s 

decision  to  become  a missionary  ? What  influ- 
ences had  preceded  this? 

2.  Among  what  tribe  did  he  labor  in  South  Africa? 

3.  What  was  the  attitude  of  the  Boers  towards  the 

natives  ? 

4.  If  you  had  gone  with  Moffat  as  a missionary,  what 

social  and  religious  customs  would  you  have 
wished  to  change? 

5.  If  you  had  been  a native  African  wife,  what  in 

your  condition  would  you  have  liked  remedied? 

6.  In  view  of  Moffat’s  experience,  should  mission- 

aries be  discouraged  if  immediate  results  of 
their  labors  are  not  always  seen? 

7.  What  do  you  consider  Moffat’s  greatest  work  in 

Africa,  and  why? 

Interesting  Books  eor  Scholars  and  Teachers. 
“Life  of  Robert  Moffat,”  by  D.  J.  Deane. 

“Live  of  Mary  and  Robert  Moffat,”  by  their  Son. 
“Great  Missionaries  of  the  Church,”  Creegan,  chap. 
19. 


6s 


STUDY  VII. 

Samuel  H&jai  Crowtbcr 

1809^1892 

fBllsstonars  Wetoce  to  tbe  atdcans 
Hlattvc  :©i0bop  of  tbc  Wiser,  mest  Sfrica 

Need  oe  a Native  Ministry. 

We  turn  now  in  our  study  from  South  Africa  to  the 
region  of  the  Niger,  West  Africa.  Many  of  the  Mis- 
sion Boards  have,  after  a few  years’  labor,  abandoned 
this  field  because  of  the  deadly  climate.  “Between 
1804  and  1824,  fifty-three  missionaries  laid  down 
their  lives  in  Sierra  Leone.”  The  question  therefore 
is:  How  is  the  Dark  Continent  to  be  evangelized? 
Experience  teaches  the  great  value  and  need  of  a 
native  ministry. 

The  Horrors  oe  the  Slave  Trade. 

Samuel  Adjai  Crowther,  born  in  the  darkness  of 
heathenism  and  sold  into  slavery,  became  Bishop  of 
West  Africa.  In  his  native  home  Crowther  was 
known  as  Adjai.  He  was  bom  in  the  Yoruba  coun- 
try, in  West  Africa,  in  1809.  He  grew  up  in  the 
midst  of  superstition  and  witchcraft.  His  home  was 
a rude  hut,  and  with  the  other  children  of  the  village 
he  lived  a free  and  happy  life.  One  day  this  happi- 


ness  was  marred  by  the  appearance  of  the  slave  deal- 
ers. These  men  have  been  the  curse  of  a large  part 
of  Africa  for  centuries.  Their  trail  throughout  the 
country  is  traced  by  the  bleaching  skeletons  of  their 
victims.  Of  the  hundred  thousand  driven  annually 
from  their  homes  thousands  perished  by  the  way. 
The  horrors  of  the  slave  ship  also  were  unspeakable. 
A full-grown  man  was  allowed  on  board  a space 
sixteen  inches  in  width,  three  feet  three  inches  in 
height,  and  five  feet  eight  inches  in  length.  These 
quarters  were  never  any  larger.  This  was  a “crime, 
not  commerce.”  The  only  exercise  the  wretched 
creatures  had  consisted  in  jumping  a specific  number 
of  times  as  high  as  their  chains  would  permit.  Slavery 
had  been  the  nightmare  of  Africa  for  two  centuries. 

England  and  the  Slave  Trade. 

Since  early  in  the  sixteenth  century  Great  Britain 
had  been  importing  slaves  from  Africa,  apparently 
unconscious  of  the  great  wrong  of  the  trade.  She 
was  ignorant,  too,  of  the  methods  used  by  her  own 
slave  ships,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Negroes 
were  taken  from  the  interior  to  the  coast  under  the 
charge  of  native  or  Arab  slave-drivers.  Stories  of 
cruelty  began  to  leak  out,  and  William  Pitt  made  an 
eloquent  plea  in  the  House  of  Commons  in  1792. 
“Why  ought  the  slave  trade  be  abolished?  Because 
it  is  an  incurable  injustice.  ...  I know  of  no  evil 
that  ever  existed,  nor  can  imagine  any  one  to  exist, 
worse  than  the  tearing  of  eighty  thousand  persons 
annually  from  their  native  land  by  a combination 
of  the  most  civilized  nations,  especially  by  that  nation 
which  calls  herself  the  most  free  and  happy  of  them 

67 


all.”  Think  you,  as  you  read  these  words,  that  the 
Englishman  bowed  low  with  shame  as  he  thought  of 
what  he  had  been  doing,  and  had  been  permitting  to 
be  done?  Not  so.  Pitt  died,  and  New  Year  bells 
rang  fifteen  times  before  the  bill  for  abolition  was 
passed.  In  1807,  Wilberforce  made  his  first  motion 
in  Parliament  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade, 
and  it  was  enacted  that  after  the  following  March  no 
slave  should  be  imported  into  the  British  dominions. 
In  the  same  year  also  an  act  was  passed  by  Congress 
forbidding  the  importing  of  slaves  into  the  United 
States, 

While  Great  Britain  ceased  to  buy  slaves,  she  held 
until  1834  all  those  purchased  prior  to  1807.  The 
United  States,  to  its  shame,  let  it  be  said,  did  not  until 
1863,  by  President  Lincoln’s  Proclamation,  emanci- 
pate her  bondmen. 

It  is  to  Great  Britain’s  credit  that,  once  convicted 
of  her  error,  she  did  whatever  lay  in  her  power  to 
right  the  wrong  unwittingly  done.  Not  only  so,  but 
she  endeavored  to  keep  other  nations  from  the  traf- 
fic and  so  successful  were  her  eflPorts  in  this  direction 
that  by  1819,  Holland,  France  and  Sweden  abolished 
the  trade.  Her  method  consisted  in  keeping  a sharp 
lookout  off  the  African  coasts,  especially  the  western. 
In  1821,  while  cruising  on  the  Atlantic,  H.  M.  S. 
Myrmidon  and  another  steamer  sighted  two  slave 
ships  making  away  with  their  precious  cargo.  The 
British  boats  gave  chase,  captured  the  slavers,  and 
took  the  slaves  aboard  with  the  intention  of  liberating 
them.  Both  ships  made  for  Sierra  Leone.  One  was 
lost  with  all  on  board;  the  second,  the  Myrmidon, 
came  safe  into  port  at  Bathurst. 

68 


Crowthkr  Rescued  erom  the  Slave  Ship. 

Among  the  slaves  on  board  this  ship  was  Adjai. 
An  English  minister  heard  his  story,  and  offered  to 
pay  his  tuition  in  a mission  school  at  Freetown. 
Here,  by  persistent  hard  work,  Crowther  steadily 
advanced  until  he  became  one  of  the  teachers.  It 
was  during  his  stay  here  that  he  accepted  Christ  as 
his  Saviour.  He  was  baptized  on  December  nth, 
1825,  taking,  in  addition  to  his  own,  the  name  of 
the  Englishman  who  paid  for  his  education,  Samuel 
Crowther.  He  was  thereafter  known  as  Samuel 
Adjai  Crowther. 

Visits  England. 

In  1826  he  was  taken  by  friends  to  England.  Here 
for  a year  he  had  the  benefit  of  being  in  an  English 
school,  and  during  this  time  learned  a great  deal 
about  English  manners  and  customs.  Returning  to 
Africa  in  1827,  he  entered  the  Industrial  Boarding 
School  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  This  in- 
stitution has  since  become  one  of  the  leading  col- 
leges of  Africa.  It  is  known  as  the  '‘Fourah  Bay 
College.’’ 

Decides  to  Become  a Missionary. 

While  here  Crowther  decided  to  become  a mission- 
ary to  his  own  people.  In  1830  he  was  appointed 
from  the  College  to  the  care  of  a school  at  Regent’s 
Town.  After  two  years  of  faithful  service,  he  was 
appointed  to  a larger  sphere  of  influence  at  Welling- 
ton, to-day  the  centre  of  the  Rev.  Andrew  Murray’s 
magnificent  work.  His  successful  career  in  South 
Africa  led  later  to  his  appointment  as  principal  of  the 
Fourah  Bay  College. 


69 


Expi<oration  op  the  Niger. 

In  1841  England  proposed  an  exploration  of  the 
Niger  River.  Prince  Albert  heartily  favored  it,  feel- 
ing that  such  an  expedition  would  do  much  toward 
the  putting  down  of  the  slave  trade,  and  would  also 
open  a new  field  for  commerce.  The  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  seeing  here  an  opportunity  to  take 
the  gospel  to  the  African  people,  asked  permission 
to  put  two  missionaries  on  board  the  vessels.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  a minister  and  a layman 
were  appointed,  the  Rev.  Frederick  Schon  and  Samuel 
Crowther.  Many  perils  were  encountered  on  the  way. 
In  some  places  the  natives  were  friendly,  in  others 
hostile  if  they  could  not  procure  rum  and  “tabac” 
from  the  white  men. 

Everywhere  Crowther  found  spiritual  darkness. 
Writing  of  it  he  said:  '‘Not  more  than  two  furlongs 
from  us  are  people  who  know  no  Heaven  and  fear  no 
hell,  who  are  strangers  from  the  covenant  of  promise, 
having  no  hope  and  without  God  in  the  world.” 

A native  fever,  dangerous  tO-  the  black  men,  almost 
fatal  to  Englishmen,  began  to  take  one  and  another 
from  the  crew.  The  flag  of  the  vessel  flew  at  half- 
mast  every  day  until  the  ocean  was  reached  on  the 
return  journey. 

Ordained  to  the  Ministry. 

Throughout  this  expedition  Crowther  had  tended 
the  sick  and  dying,  not  only  doing  what  lay  in  his 
power  to  alleviate  physical  suffering,  but  whenever  an 
opportunity  presented  itself  telling  the  Old,  Old  Story 
to  men  who,  while  they  came  from  a land  nominally 
Christian,  and  many  of  them  from  Christian  homes, 

70 


had  forgotten  in  their  rough,  seafaring  life  the  truths 
taught  them  in  the  years  gone  by.  Mr.  Schon, 
noticing  Crowther’s  ability,  wrote  to  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  recommending  that  he  be  prepared 
for  ordination.  He  was  called  to  England,  where 
he  studied  for  a year  at  the  “Highbury  Missionary 
College.”  He  was  ordained  on  June  nth,  1843. 
Returning  to  Africa  in  December,  1843,  Crowther 
went  at  once  to  the  Yoruba  country,  from  which  place 
he  had  been  taken  a slave  twenty-two  years  before. 
During  that  time  three  hundred  towns  had  been 
destroyed  to  supply  slaves  for  the  market,  and  the 
people,  left  utterly  heartbroken,  were  only  too  glad 
to  hear  the  message  which  he  had  come  to  bring. 

A JoYFuiy  Reunion. 

In  1846,  while  preaching  one  day  at  Abeokuta,  he 
noticed  an  old  woman  who  seemed  to  be  listening 
most  intently.  Slavery  had  written  its  lines  in  her 
furrowed  brow,  and  her  face  was  so  sad  that  Crow- 
ther determined  to  speak  to  her  after  the  service  and 
bring,  if  he  could,  a ray  of  joy  into  her  sad  life. 
Going  to  her,  he  asked  her  if  he  could  help  her. 
Slowly  he  drew  from  her  the  story  of  her  life.  At 
the  close  of  the  account  a strange  hope  thrilled  in 
Crowther's  breast,  and  he  scanned  earnestly  the  face 
before  him.  The  old  woman  continued : “My  great- 
est sorrow  was  the  loss  of  my  little  boy,  who  was 
torn  from  me  when  he  was  about  eleven  years  old.” 

“What,”  he  asked,  “did  you  call  this  lad?” 

“Adjai,”  she  answered,  “I  called  him  Adjai.” 
Great  was  the  joy  in  Crowther^s  heart.  Throughout 
the  many  years  of  the  separation  he  had  prayed  for 

71 


his  mother,  and  had  longed  that,  if  she  were  still  alive, 
he  might  see  her.  Not  only  had  his  prayer  been 
answered,  but  he  had  the  added  joy  of  leading  his 
mother  to  Jesus  Christ. 

A Mission  Established. 

In  1857,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  the  time  was  thought  ripe  to  establish  a 
Niger  Christian  Mission.  Crowther  and  six  other 
workers  manned  a mission  boat  called  the  “Day- 
spring.” They  stopped  at  many  of  the  towns  visited 
on  the  first  expedition,  and  found  many  glad  to  re- 
ceive them,  and  eager  to  hear  more  of  what  Crow- 
ther had  told  them  fifteen  years  before.  Arriving  at 
Rabbah,  the  vessel  struck  a rock  and  was  lost.  Con- 
sequently Crowther  stayed  a considerable  time  in  the 
vicinity  of  Rabbah.  Here  he  founded  the  Onitsha 
Mission  and  several  out-stations  in  places  which  he 
w^ould  probably  never  have  visited  but  for  this  seem- 
ing mishap. 

Appointed  Bishop. 

In  1864  it  became  necessary  to  appoint  a new 
Bishop  of  West  Africa,  as  Bishop  Weeks  had  died. 
No  one  seemed  so  well  fitted  for  this  high  and  re- 
sponsible office  as  Samuel  Adjai  Crowther,  the  native 
teacher  and  preacher  who  had  once  been  a slave.  He 
was  again  called  back  to  England  and  consecrated 
in  Canterbury  Cathedral  as  the  first  native  Bishop  of 
the  Niger. 

Returning  to  Africa,  he  began  work  in  the  darkest 
spot  of  the  Dark  Continent,  the  Delta  region.  Not 
only  did  superstition  have  full  sway  here,  but  can- 
nibalism with  all  its  degrading  rites  was  practiced. 

72 


Crowther  established  a mission,  resulting  in  the  con- 
version and  changed  lives  of  hundreds  of  natives. 
For  many  years  he  served  faithfully  as  an  ambassador 
of  Jesus  Christ.  In  1892  he  died,  leaving  West  Africa 
to  mourn  a noble  life.  He  was  one  of  her  own  sons, 
and  is  a notable  example  of  what,  by  God’s  grace,  the 
African  can  do  for  Africa. 

Questions. 

1.  State  the  advantages  of  a native  ministry  for 

Africa. 

2.  Describe  the  horrors  of  the  slave  trade  and  Eng- 

land’s attitude. 

3.  How  did  Crowther  receive  his  name? 

4.  In  what  sort  of  missionary  work  did  he  first  en- 

gage? 

5.  What  led  to  his  ordination  to  the  ministry? 

6.  How  long  did  he  serve  as  Bishop  of  West  Africa? 

7.  In  view  of  the  possibility  of  there  being  in  Africa 

to-day  other  natives  as  capable  as  Crowther, 
what  is  the  Church’s  immediate  duty? 

Interesting  Books  eor  Scholars. 

“Samuel  Crowther,”  by  Jesse  Page. 

“A  Miracle  of  African  Missions,”  by  John  Bell  and 
Mary  Bird. 

Books  eor  Teachers  Before  Teaching  this 
Study. 

“Memoirs  on  Slavery,”  by  Chancellor  Harper. 
“Christus  Liberator,”  by  Ellen  C.  Parsons. 

“Africa  Waiting,”  by  D.  M.  Thornton  (Chap.  7). 
“Story  of  Africa  and  Its  Explorers,”  by  R.  Brown 
(Vol.  I,  Chap.  3). 


73 


STUDY  VIII. 


Davit)  Xivingstone 

1813^1873 

Jullsatonans  Bcroes  to  tbe  Bfrtcano 
tuliosionans  Biploret  in  Central  Bfrlca 

*'The  end  of  the  geographical  feat  is  only  the  beginning  of 
the  enterprise/’ — Livingstone. 

“Providence  seems  to  call  me  to  the  regions  beyond.  I zvill 
go,  no  matter  who  opposes.” — Livingstone  (when  beginning 
his  work  of  exploration). 

“Nothing  earthly  will  make  me  give  up  my  work  in  despair. 
I encourage  myself  in  the  Lord  my  God  and  go  forward.”—^ 
Livingstone  (written  five  weeks  before  his  death). 

On  the  8th  of  December,  1840,  there  set  sail  from 
England  for  South  Africa  a stalwart  young  man  with 
broad  shoulders,  deep  chest  and  fine  physique.  If 
you  had  talked  with  him  you  would  have  been  won 
at  once  by  his  genial  personality.  You  would  have 
realized  too  that  he  was  a man  with  a purpose.  Per- 
haps you  might  have  thought  he  was  going  to  ‘South 
Africa  as  an  adventurer  or  prospector,  and  in  a way 
he  was.  His  life  in  the  Dark  Continent  was  to  be  full 
of  adventure,  while  prospecting  not  for  gold  but  for 

74 


souls.  His  powers  were  yet  untried  and  few  persons, 
if  any,  realized  his  abilities.  Some  thought  he  was 
intellectually  unfit  to  go  to  China  or  India  as  a mis- 
sionary, and  that  Africa  was  probably  the  best  place 
for  him  after  all.  It  was  best,  because  God  had 
chosen  this  quiet,  unassuming  young  man  for  the 
Dark  Continent,  and  ere  he  should  finish  his  work 
the  whole  world  was  to  be  amazed  at  what  he  had 
accomplished.  Minister,  physician,  traveler,  explorer, 
David  Livingstone  is  perhaps  the  best  known  of  all 
the  missionaries  who  have  ever  gone  to  Africa. 

Early  Li^K. 

He  was  born  at  Blantyre,  a village  on  the  Clyde, 
eight  miles  above  Glasgow,  on  March  19,  1813.  His 
parents  were  earnest  Christians  but  very  poor,  as  the 
business  of  tea  merchant  in  which  the  father  was 
engaged  was  not  very  lucrative.  As  soon  as  the 
children  were  old  enough  to  help  they  secured  em- 
ployment, and  David  when  but  ten  years  of  age  was 
at  work  in  the  cotton  mill  from  six  in  the  morning 
until  eight  at  night. 

His  father  was  fond  of  books,  most  of  which  were 
of  a religious  character,  and  in  his  journeys  through 
the  country  from  place  to  place  he  carried  with  him 
tracts  as  well  as  tea,  and  distributed  them  far  and 
wide.  He  was  thus  in  a sense  a home  missionary, 
and  little  did  he  then  know  that  his  son  David  at 
home  was  to  become  one  of  the  most  famous  foreign 
missionaries  of  the  nineteenth  century.  David  in- 
herited his  father’s  love  of  reading,  but  he  did  not 
care  always  for  the  same  kind.  Books  of  science  and 
travel  interested  him  most. 

75 


Conversion. 

When  about  twelve  years  old  he  was  interested  in 
religion,  but  thought  that  he  must  wait  for  some 
startling  change  in  his  life  before  he  could  be  a 
Christian.  But  when  he  was  about  twenty,  he  read 
Dr.  Dick’s  “Philosophy  of  a Future  State,”  and 
learned  of  God’s  love  in  Christ,  and  from  that  time 
dates  his  assurance  of  salvation.  At  once  he  re- 
solved to  devote  his  life  to  the  help  of  his  fellow-men. 
He  became  interested  in  missions  through  the  read- 
ing of  the  life  of  Henry  Martyn  and  of  other  mis- 
sionaries, and  when  one  day  he  came  across  an  appeal 
on  behalf  of  China,  written  by  Dr.  Charles  Gutzlaff, 
his  mind  was  made  up  to  become  a missionary.  He 
began  the  study  of  theology  and  of  medicine,  and 
after  due  preparation  received  his  commission  to 
Africa  from  the  London  Missionary  Society.  The 
day  he  left  home  to  sail  for  the  Dark  Continent  he 
had  family  worship  and  read  the  I2ist  and  135th 
Psalms. 


Arrives  in  Africa. 

After  a voyage  of  five  months  he  arrived  at  Cape 
Town,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  continent.  His 
destination  was  Kuruman,  in  Bechuanaland,  some 
seven  hundred  miles  north,  and  the  station  estab- 
lished by  Robert  Moffat  thirty  years  before.  After 
remaining  at  Kuruman  a short  time,  he  set  out  for 
Mabotsa,  two  hundred  miles  beyond,  and  there  he 
established  a new  station.  It  was  there  he  had  an 
experience  that  nearly  cut  short  his  career.  Having 
shot  a lion  he  was  attacked  by  the  animal,  who  caught 
him  by  the  shoulder  and  shook  him  as  a dog  does  a 

76 


rat.  Describing  the  encounter  afterwards  he  said: 
*‘The  shock  produced  a stupor  similar  to  that  which 
seems  to  be  felt  by  a mouse  after  the  first  grip  of 
the  cat.  It  caused  a sort  of  dreaminess,  in  which 
there  was  no  sense  of  pain  or  feeling  of  terror, 
though  I was  quite  conscious  of  all  that  was  happen- 
ing. This  placidity  is  probably  produced  in  all  ani- 
mals killed  by  the  carnivora ; and  if  so,  is  a merciful 
provision  of  the  Creator  for  lessening  the  pain  of 
death.’^  A friend  asked  him  what  his  thoughts  were 
when  he  was  in  the  lion’s  clutches,  and  Livingstone 
replied,  “I  was  thinking  what  part  of  me  he  would 
eat  first.”  The  year  following  this  incident  Living- 
stone married  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Robert  Moffat. 

A Strange  Suggestion. 

Difficulty  arising  because  of  the  jealousy  of  a fel- 
low missionary  at  Mabotsa,  Livingstone  resolved  to 
leave  all  the  work  under  the  control  of  his  colleague, 
while  he  and  his  family  set  out  to  establish  a new 
home  farther  north.  He  decided  to  locate  at  Chon- 
uane  among  the  Bakwain  tribe,  whose  chief  was 
Sechele.  The  latter  was  very  glad  to  have  Living- 
stone come  among  his  people.  He  was  eager  to  learn 
all  that  he  could  from  the  white  man,  and  soon 
showed  a deep  interest  in  Christianity.  At  first,  how- 
ever, he  failed  to  understand  its  spirit.  Being  used 
to  obedience  from  his  subjects  and  desirous  of  pleas- 
ing Livingstone,  he  suggested  an  effective  method 
of  securing  converts  to  Christianity.  “Do  you  imag- 
ine these  people  will  ever  believe  by  your  merely 
talking  to  them  ? I can  make  them  do  nothing  except 
by  thrashing  them,  and  if  you  like  I shall  call  my 

77 


head  men,  and  with  our  whips  of  rhinoceros  hide  we 
will  soon  make  them  all  believe  together/^  Needless 
to  say,  Livingstone  did  not  agree  to  this  suggestion. 

Hostility  of  the  Boers. 

On  account  of  a long  continued  drought  he  was 
unable  to  remain  at  Chonuane,  and  the  whole  tribe  of 
the  Bakwains  under  his  guidance  went  to  a place 
forty  miles  northwest  to  Kolobeng.  Here  Living- 
stone erected  a new  house  for  himself  and  family 
and  they  remained  for  three  years.  But  the  drought 
followed  them  here,  and  eventually  another  move 
became  necessary. 

While  at  Kolobeng,  Livingstone  encountered  much 
trouble  from  the  Boers.  Their  attitude  toward  all 
missionary  eflfort  to  benefit  the  Africans  was  one  of 
implacable  opposition.  They  themselves  regarded  the 
natives  as  cattle,  without  any  souls,  and  treated 
them  most  brutally.  The  gospel,  which  they  pro- 
fessed to  prize  so  highly,  they  denied  to  their  black 
slaves.  Their  power  in  South  Africa  was  very  great, 
and  they  finally  succeeded  in  driving  Livingstone 
from  Bechuanaland  altogether.  One  day  they  made 
a raid  upon  Kolobeng  when  Livingstone  was  away, 
killed  many  of  the  natives  and  captured  two  hundred 
of  the  mission  school  children  for  slaves.  Living- 
stone’s house  they  completely  destroyed,  stole  what 
furniture  they  did  not  smash,  as  well  as  provisions 
and  tools,  tore  the  leaves  out  of  all  his  books  and 
broke  all  his  bottles  of  medicine.  They  then  went 
off  to  worship  God  and  attend  church.  ^T  wonder 
what  the  Peace  Society  would  do  with  these  wor- 
thies?” wrote  Livingstone.  ‘"They  are  Christians.'^ 

78 


Begins  Work  or  Exploration. 

After  several  years  in  Africa,  Livingstone  became 
firmly  convinced  that  the  only  way  for  Christianity 
to  become  securely  established  would  be  by  the  plant- 
ing of  a chain  of  mission  stations  all  through  the 
interior.  “It  was  useless,  he  found,  for  a missionary 
to  settle  down  on  his  little  maize  patch  to  the  instruc- 
tion of  a handful  of  blacks,  when  the  unnumbered 
millions  around  and  beyond  were  kept  in  a state  of 
constant  fear  and  unrest  by  the  raids  of  the  slaver, 
and  degraded  by  participation  in  the  traffic.  A 
missionary  might  be  ever  so  zealous,  but  the  work  of 
years  might  be  swept  away  in  a day  by  a passing 
wave  of  the  slave-terror,  or  by  war,  famine  or  pesti- 
lence, which  are  the  inevitable  accompaniments  of 
the  trade.  Christianity  could  never  take  firm  root 
in  such  a soil.  He  was  convinced  that  the  ground 
must  first  be  prepared  by  the  suppression  of  the  slave 
trade  and  the  introduction  of  lawful  commerce.” 

The  difficulties  that  he  encountered  at  Chonuane 
and  at  Kolobeng  from  drought  and  from  the  Boers 
proved  to  be  God’s  method  of  launching  Livingstone 
upon  his  great  career  of  missionary  exploration,  in 
an  endeavor  to  open  up  the  interior  of  the  Dark  Con- 
tinent to  the  gospel.  From  Kolobeng  he  crossed  the 
great  Kalahari  Desert,  a trackless  torrid  waste  of  600 
miles,  in  an  effort  to  reach  the  tribes  that  lay  to  the 
north.  In  this  and  a subsequent  journey  he  dis- 
covered Lake  Ngami  and  the  Zambesi  river.  Ex- 
perience proved  that  he  could  not  take  his  family 
with  him  on  such  rigorous  trips,  so  it  was  decided  that 
they  should  return  to  England,  while  he  should  bend 
every  energy  to  find  a way  from  the  interior  to  the 

79 


east  or  west  coasts.  Accompanying  his  wife  and 
children  to  Cape  Town,  a journey  of  more  than  1500 
miles,  he  reluctantly  bade  them  good-bye.  Nearly 
five  years  were  to  elapse  before  he  should  look  on 
their  faces  again. 

Cape  Town  to  Loanda  and  Across  the  Conti- 
nent. 

He  then  retraced  his  steps  northward  for  a thou- 
sand miles  to  Kolobeng,  again  crossed  the  Kalahari 
Desert  to  Linyanti  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  whence  he 
planned  to  find  a way  either  to  the  east  or  the  west 
coast.  With  but  twenty-seven  followers  of  the  Maka- 
lolo  tribe,  he  set  out  for  the  west  on  a journey  of 
fifteen  hundred  miles,  through  regions  never  before 
traveled  by  a white  man.  Many  were  the  dangers 
encountered;  unfriendly  natives  harassed  him  and 
thirty  attacks  of  fever  brought  him  to  a state  of  ex- 
treme weakness.  Once  his  men,  having  become 
utterly  disheartened,  resolved  to  give  up  the  expedi- 
tion. Then  was  prayer  wondrously  answered,  as 
Livingstone  in  an  agony  of  spirit  besought  God  for 
help,  and  one  after  another  of  the  men  came  to  him 
and  told  him  they  would  remain  faithful.  After  in- 
credible hardships,  Loanda,  on  the  shores  of  the 
Atlantic,  was  reached  on  May  31,  1854. 

While  here  Livingstone  had  the  opportunity  of 
returning  to  England,  but  refused  to  go  because  of 
his  promise,  made  to  his  men  at  the  beginning  of  the 
journey,  to  take  them  back  home  again.  But  for  this, 
there  was  every  reason  for  him  to  go  to  England. 
Physically  he  was  a wreck  of  his  former  self,  for 
thirteen  years  in  Africa,  and  especially  the  hardships 

80 


of  the  past  few  months,  had  reduced  him  to  almost  a 
skeleton.  Then  too  he  had  just  accomplished  a feat 
never  before  performed  by  a white  man.  However 
strong  the  temptation  to  return  to  home  and  loved 
ones,  Livingstone  determined  to  retrace  his  steps  with 
the  Makalolo ; and  more  than  this,  he  resolved  to  con- 
tinue his  journey  directly  across  the  continent  to  the 
cast  coast,  to  discover  if  a way  for  trade  with  the  in- 
terior might  thus  be  established  from  the  east.  He 
was  convinced  that  it  was  impossible  from  the  west 
or  from  the  south.  After  several  months'  weary 
march  he  reached,  without  the  loss  of  a man,  Lin- 
yanti,  whence  he  had  set  out  nearly  two  years  before. 

After  a short  rest  Livingstone  was  again  on  his 
way,  November  3,  1855,  bound  for  the  east  coast. 
Following  the  Zambesi  river  he  came  upon  what  the 
natives  called  “Sounding  Smoke,"  but  which  he 
named  Victoria  Falls  in  honor  of  the  Queen.  It  is 
the  most  beautiful  waterfall  in  Africa,  grander  than 
Niagara,  and  to-day  can  be  viewed  from  a modem 
railroad  bridge  on  the  line  from  Cairo  to  the  Cape. 
The  Zambesi  is  a mile  wide  at  the  falls,  where  it 
dashes  to  the  rocks  three  hundred  feet  below. 

On  the  first  part  of  his  journey  he  passed  through 
a friendly  region,  but  later  met  much  opposition  from 
hostile  tribes.  At  one  point  there  was  imminent 
danger  of  the  complete  annihilation  of  his  party. 
Again  did  this  man  of  prayer  plead  God's  promises, 
and  turning  to  his  Bible  he  read,  “Go  ye  therefore 
and  teach  all  nations ; . . , teaching  them  to  ob- 

serve all  things  whatsoever  I have  commanded  you : 
and  lo,  I am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world."  “It  is  the  word  of  a gentleman  of  the 

81 


most  sacred  and  strictest  honor;  and  there  is  an  end 
on’t/*  So  saying  he  lay  down  to  rest  p>eacefully,  and 
the  next  day  succeeded  in  getting  all  of  his  men 
across  the  river  unharmed.  In  May,  1856,  he  reached 
Quilimane  on  the  east  coast.  He  had  crossed  the 
continent. 


Returns  to  England. 

Shortly  afterwards  he  returned  to  England,  where 
he  received  a most  enthusiastic  reception.  When  he 
sailed  for  Africa  sixteen  years  before  he  was  practi- 
cally unknown.  But  now  he  was  hailed  as  a hero  by 
the  nation,  and  the  Universities  bestowed  degrees 
and  honors  upon  him.  These  attentions  were  rather 
irksome  to  Livingstone.  He  delighted  not  in  the 
praise  of  men,  and  made  it  a rule  never  to  read  any- 
thing written  in  his  praise.  He  went  from  place  to 
place  telling  of  Africa  and  its  needs,  and  succeeded 
in  arousing  great  interest  in  the  Dark  Continent. 

Second  Expedition. 

After  two  years  in  England  it  was  arranged  that 
he  should  return  to  Africa,  at  the  head  of  a Govern- 
ment expedition,  to  explore  farther  the  Zambesi 
river.  In  1858  he  set  out,  Mrs.  Livingstone  and  their 
youngest  child  accompanying  him.  The  two  latter 
he  left  at  Cape  Town  for  a time,  but  Mrs.  Livingstone 
joined  him  later.  She  was  attacked  with  fever, 
however,  and  after  a brief  illness  passed  away.  This 
was  a great  blow  to  the  now  lonely  missionary. 
Though  he  discovered  Lakes  Nyassa  and  Shiwra, 
this  expedition  was  on  the  whole  most  disastrous. 
A mission  station  which  was  founded  by  reinforce- 

82 


ments  from  England  was  abandoned  and  several  of 
the  missionaries  died.  Then  that  which  nearly  over- 
whelmed him  was  the  fact  that  following  closely  upon 
his  explorations  were  the  iniquitous  Portuguese  slave 
dealers,  who  brought  devastation  and  death  where- 
ever  they  went.  After  six  years  spent  in  arduous 
exploration  he  again  returned  to  England,  to  con- 
demn more  strongly  than  ever  the  horrors  of  the 
slave  trade. 

Third  Expedition. 

In  about  a year  he  was  again  on  his  way  to  the 
Dark  Continent,  this  time  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society,  and  his  aim  was  to  dis- 
cover if  possible  the  sources  of  the  Nile  or  the  Congo. 
This  was  to  be  his  last  expedition,  covering  a period 
of  seven  years.  It  is  really  pathetic  to  read  of  the 
struggles  and  disappointments  and  sufferings  that  he 
endured  so  uncomplainingly.  It  must  never  be  for- 
gotten that  all  this  work  of  exploration  was  in  the 
interests  of  missions  and  the  extension  of  the  King- 
dom of  Christ.  Looking  forward  to  this  last  expedi- 
tion, he  said  that  he  was  exhilarated  by  the  thought 
of  another  trip  into  the  interior,  and  that  “when  one 
travels  with  the  specific  object  in  view  of  amelior- 
ating the  condition  of  the  natives,  every  act  is 
ennobled.’^  It  was  always  as  a missionary,  and  not 
merely  as  an  explorer  bent  on  geographical  discov- 
eries, that  David  Livingstone  spent  thirteen  of  his 
twenty-eight  years  in  Africa.  Several  years  passed 
by  and  for  months  the  outside  world  had  heard  noth- 
ing of  him.  Many  persons  thought  him  dead,  but 
there  was  one  who  did  not,  Mr.  James  Gordon  Ben- 
nett, of  the  New  York  Herald. 

83 


Stanley  Finds  Livingstone. 

Being  in  Paris,  he  summoned  there  one  of  the 
Herald's  war  correspondents,  Henry  M.  Stanley. 
When  they  met  Mr.  Bennett  said,  “I  have  important 
business  on  hand  for  you.  Where  do  you  think 
Livingstone  is?”  ‘1  really  do  not  know,  sir,”  replied 
Stanley.  ‘'Do  you  think  he  is  alive?”  “He  may  be, 
and  he  may  not  be.”  “Well,  I think  he  is  alive,  and 
that  he  can  be  found,  and  I am  going  to  send  you 
to  find  him,”  said  Mr.  Bennett.  “What!”  said 
Stanley,  “do  you  really  think  I can  find  Dr.  Living- 
stone? Do  you  mean  me  to  go  to  Central  Africa?” 
“Yes,  I mean  that  you  shall  go,  and  find  him  wher- 
ever you  may  hear  that  he  is,  and  get  what  news 
you  can  of  him.  Of  course,  you  will  act  according 
to  your  own  plans,  and  do  what  you  think  best — 
hut  -find  Livingstone^* 

Months  passed,  but  on  October  28,  1871,  Stanley 
and  Livingstone  met  face  to  face  on  the  shores  of 
Lake  Tanganyika  in  Central  Africa.  Approaching 
Livingstone,  Stanley  said,  “I  thank  God,  Doctor,  I 
have  been  permitted  to  see  you,”  and  the  missionary 
replied,  “I  feel  thankful  that  I am  here  to  welcome 
you.” 

Stanley  used  every  argument  possible  to  induce 
Livingstone  to  return  to  England  with  him,  but  the 
heroic  explorer  would  not  consent  to  do  so  while  his 
work  of  discovering  the  sources  of  Nile  or  Congo  was 
yet  undone.  Four  months  these  men  spent  together 
and  then  they  parted,  Livingstone  never  to  look  upon 
the  face  of  a white  man  again.  On  his  birthday,  a 
year  before  he  died,  and  Just  after  Stanley  left  him, 
he  writes  in  his  diary:  “My  Jesus,  my  King,  my 

84 


Life,  my  All ! I again  dedicate  my  whole  self  to  Thee. 
Accept  me  and  grant,  O gracious  Father,  that  ere  this 
year  is  gone  I may  finish  my  task.  In  Jesus’  name  I 
ask  it.  Amen.” 

On  May  4,  1873,  in  a rude  hut  on  the  shores  of 
Lake  Bangweolo,  his  servants  found  him  dead.  He 
was  on  his  knees.  His  devoted  negro  followers  were 
overcome  with  grief,  and  then  and  there  determined 
to  take  his  body  to  the  coast.  This  they  did  through 
many  difficulties  and  dangers,  and  on  April  18,  1874, 
the  mortal  remains  of  David  Livingstone  were  placed 
in  Westminster  Abbey,  and  England  mourned  for 
one  of  her  noblest  and  most  heroic  sons. 

Questions. 

1.  What  influences  led  Livingstone  to  become  a mis- 

sionary ? 

2.  What  circumstances  influenced  him  to  begin  his 

work  of  exploration? 

3.  What  was  his  aim  as  a missionary  explorer? 

4.  In  how  many  expeditions  did  he  engage,  and  what 

was  the  purpose  of  each? 

5.  Mention  three  striking  traits  of  his  character. 

6.  Why  is  he  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  mission- 

aries of  the  19th  century? 

Books  for  Scholars. 

“David  Livingstone,”  by  T.  Banks  Maclachlan. 
“David  Livingstone,”  by  Thomas  Hughes. 

Books  for  Teachers. 

“The  Personal  Life  of  David  Livingstone,”  by  W. 
G.  Blaikie. 


85 


“David  Livingstone:  His  Labors  and  His  Legacy,” 
by  Arthur  Montefiore. 

“Missionary  Travels  and  Researches  in  South 
Africa.” 

“Livingstone’s  Last  Journals,”  by  David  Living- 
stone. 

“Tropical  Africa,”  by  Henry  Drummond. 


86 


STUDY  IX. 


aieian&er  flU.  finacfta? 

1849^1890 

misslonans  Kcroea  to  tbe  atricans 
Inbuatrtal  IHisaionat^  in  Central  Baat  Btrica 

*'Am  I not  here  the  link  between  dying  man  and  the  dying 
Christ?’' — Mackay. 

‘*Is  it  at  all  likely  that  eight  Englishmen  should  start  for 
Central  Africa,  and  all  be  alive  six  months  after?  One  of  us 
at  least— At  may  he  I — will  surely  fall  before  that.  But  what 
I want  to  say  is  this:  When  the  news  comes,  do  not  be  cast 
down,  but  send  someone  else  immediately  to  take  the  vacant 
place.” — Mackay. 

*'It  is  not  to  make  money  that  I believe  a Christian  should 
live.  Christ  said:  ‘It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  re- 
ceive!’ And  the  noblest  thing  a man  can  do  is  just  humbly  to 
receive,  and  then  go  amongst  others  and  give.  Many  a better 
man  than  I has  gone  to  heathen  countries  before  now;  why 
should  not  I go  too?” — Mackay. 

The  Country. 

We  turn  now  in  our  study  to  Uganda,  a region 
lying  in  Central  Africa,  its  shores  bordering  the 
northwestern  part  of  Lake  Victoria  Nyanza.  It  is  a 
country  with  a delightful  climate,  ranging  from  6o  to 


8o  degrees  F.  It  lies  just  south  of  the  equator,  and 
contains  about  70,000  square  miles  and  one  and  a half 
to  two  million  inhabitants.  Rain  is  abundant,  fall- 
ing nearly  every  night,  and  thunder  storms  are  of 
daily  occurrence  in  the  rainy  season.  Plantains  are 
plentiful  and  form  the  chief  article  of  food.  The  soil 
is  so  rich  that  it  is  capable  of  producing  almost  any- 
thing. Cotton,  coffee,  tobacco  and  sweet  potatoes 
are  raised,  and  there  is  a great  supply  of  iron  and 
other  minerals.  The  country  is  undulating,  consist- 
ing of  hills  and  hollows.  In  the  latter  there  are 
usually  swamps  in  which  grow  rank  grasses  and  reeds, 
which  afford  shelter  for  many  kinds  of  snakes  and 
wild  animals. 


The  People. 

The  people  of  Uganda  cannot  be  called  barbarous, 
as  that  term  is  usually  understood,  nor  are  they 
wholly  civilized.  They  are  bright  and  intelligent  and 
eager  to  learn,  and  are  by  far  the  most  advanced  of 
any  race  in  Central  Africa.  In  Mackay^s  day  they 
were  exceedingly  superstitious,  however,  as  is  com- 
mon among  natives  in  heathen  lands.  They  believed 
in  many  gods,  every  phenomenon  in  nature  having 
its  own  god,  as,  for  example,  the  storm,  thunder, 
lightning,  famine,  earthquake,  etc.,  while  any  particu- 
lar thing,  such  as  a strangely  shaped  rock  or  tree, 
was  supposed  to  be  a god.  Snakes  and  parrots  were 
also  worshiped.  There  was  great  confusion  as  to  the 
relative  power  of  these  various  gods,  but  all  needed 
to  be  propitiated  by  offerings,  lest  they  should  bring 
evil  and  bad  luck.  Everywhere  upon  the  doors  of 
the  native  houses  charms  were  hung,  and  “a  native 

88 


would  not  think  of  venturing  out  of  doors  in  the 
morning  until  he  first  threw  out  a bell-shaped  charm 
made  of  grass  and  covered  with  bark-cloth.  This 
is  kept  at  the  back  of  the  door,  and  at  dawn  whoever 
first  gets  up  opens  this  door  and  throws  out  the  ball, 
saying,  ‘Here,  Spirit,  this  is  yours.’  ” 

While  we  have  said  that  the  people  of  Uganda 
were  not  exactly  barbarous,  they  had  many  cruel 
practices.  Human  life  was  considered  of  little  value, 
and  the  King  had  absolute  power  of  life  and  death 
over  his  subjects.  For  the  slightest  ofifense  great  tor- 
ture or  death  was  inflicted,  and  it  was  not  uncommon 
for  hundreds  of  innocent  victims  to  be  slain  by  royal 
command,  as  a display  of  sovereign  power  or  caprice. 

A Missionary  Enginejer. 

It  was  to  such  a country  and  among  such  people 
that  Alexander  Mackay,  the  young  Scotch  civil  engi- 
neer, went  as  an  industrial  missionary  in  the  year 
1876.  He  was  not  an  ordained  minister,  but  a mis- 
sionary none  the  less,  and  just  the  man  needed  for 
the  place  to  which  he  went.  In  a most  wonderful 
way  was  he  fitted  by  his  talents  and  training  for  work 
among  the  superstitious  people  of  Uganda.  His  skill 
in  the  use  of  tools  and  machinery  was  regarded  as 
nothing  short  of  miraculous  by  the  natives,  who  with 
open-eyed  amazement  crowded  at  times  his  black- 
smith shop  to  see  the  bellows  and  to  watch  him  at  his 
work.  His  grindstone  was  a never-failing  source  of 
interest  and  of  wonder,  as  they  could  not  understand 
how  the  wheels  went  round.  The  natives  got  the 
idea  that  there  was  nothing  that  Mackay  could  not 
do,  and  if  he  did  not  make  at  once  some  article  on 

89 


demand,  such  as  needle  or  fish-hook,  they  attributed 
it  to  his  unwillingness  to  serve  them. 

Mtksa’s  Request. 

When  Mackay  arrived  in  Uganda,  King  Mtesa  was 
on  the  throne.  He  had  been  visited  by  Stanley,  and 
he  told  the  great  explorer  that  he  desired  white  men 
to  be  sent  to  him  to  instruct  his  people.  After  Stan- 
ley returned  to  England  he  made  known  Mtesa’s 
request,  which  was  a challenge  to  the  Christian 
Church  to  meet  the  need.  It  was  met  by  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  sending  out  eight  men ; but  after 
two  and  one-half  years  of  travel,  Mackay  and  one 
companion  were  the  only  ones  to  reach  Mtesa’s  cap- 
ital. Of  the  others,  two  had  died  of  fever,  two  had 
been  killed  by  the  natives,  and  two  had  returned  to 
England. 

Before  going  further,  let  us  turn  back  to  the  early 
life  and  home  of  Mackay  and  see  the  Providential 
leading  that  took  him  to  Africa. 

He  was  the  son  of  a Free  Church  minister  in  Scot- 
land, and  was  born  on  the  13th  of  October,  1849, 
a very  obscure  little  village  by  the  name  of  Rhynie. 
His  father  was  a highly  educated  man  and  deeply 
interested  in  the  progress  of  the  Kingdom,  both  at 
home  and  abroad.  In  fact,  the  very  day  that  Alex- 
ander was  born  he  was  studying  the  map  of  Africa, 
and  remarked  to  the  family  servant:  ^'The  Gospel 
banner  will  yet  be  planted  in  the  heart  of  this  con- 
tinent, although  not  likely  in  your  day  or  mine.” 
“But  maybe  it’ll  be  in  your  son’s,  sir,  and  wha  will 
say  he’ll  nae  hae  a han’  in  it?”  She  spoke  more  truly 
than  she  knew,  for  twenty-seven  years  later  the  babe 

90 


she  held  in  her  arms  was  on  his  way  to  the  Dark 
Continent  with  the  message  of  salvation. 

Home  Influences. 

As  the  lad  grew  he  displayed  remarkable  talents 
and  ability.  He  was  the  constant  companion  of  his 
father,  from  whom  he  learned  much.  It  was  to  his 
mother,  however,  that  he  owed  his  peculiar  interest 
in  missions,  for,  as  a child,  she  would  reward  his 
recitation  of  the  Catechism  and  Bible  Lesson  by  tell- 
ing him  a missionary  story,  which  Alexander  was 
always  eager  to  hear.  Sometimes  when  she  was 
through,  he  would  ask  her  what  field  she  thought 
most  important.  Her  reply  would  be  that  all  were 
important  and  needy,  and  that  Christ  had  died  for 
all,  but  that  at  that  time  Africa  was  claiming  particu- 
lar attention.  “Would  you  like  me  to  go  as  a mis- 
sionary to  Africa  some  day?”  the  boy  would  ask. 
“If  God  prepares  you  for  it,  my  boy,  but  not  unless.” 

Natural  Talents. 

But  God  was  preparing  him  for  it,  and  all  the  edu- 
cation he  acquired  in  his  youth  was  to  be  turned  to 
good  account  later  in  Africa.  Mentally  he  was  un- 
usually bright,  for  at  three  years  of  age  he  could  read 
the  New  Testament  with  ease,  and  at  seven  he  en- 
joyed such  works  as  “Paradise  Lost”  and  Gibbon's 
“Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.”  He  was 
naturally  fond  of  machinery,  and  he  spent  most  of 
his  spare  time  in  the  mill,  carpenter  shop,  gas  works 
or  blacksmith  shop,  watching  the  work  that  was  being 
done.  He  thought  it  worth  while  to  walk  four  miles 
each  way  just  to  see  the  locomotive  as  it  stopped  for 

91 


a few  minutes  at  the  nearest  railroad  station.  His 
parents  earnestly  hoped  that  he  would  become  a min- 
ister, but  his  tastes  were  for  an  engineering  course 
at  the  University.  This  choice  was  not  denied  him, 
and  after  completing  his  work  in  Edinburgh  he  went 
to  Berlin  to  continue  his  studies.  Here  he  came  in 
contact  with  many  who  tried  to  weaken  his  faith  in 
Christianity,  but  he  had  been  too  well  grounded  in 
its  principles  to  be  easily  shaken.  Having  grown  up 
in  a Christian  home,  and  surrounded  with  godly 
influences,  it  was  natural  for  him  to  accept  the  belief 
of  his  parents.  His  clear-cut  conversion  dates,  how- 
ever, from  the  period  immediately  following  his 
mother’s  death,  when  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  Her 
departure  he  felt  very  keenly.  Her  dying  message 
to  him,  and  strictly  followed,  was  to  search  the  Scrip- 
tures. 


Missionary  Decision. 

As  might  be  expected,  Mackay  showed  marked 
ability  in  his  chosen  profession,  and  a promising  and 
lucrative  career  was  opening  up  before  him.  But 
within  six  weeks  of  the  time  he  had  left  home  for  Ger- 
many he  had  heard  another  call — that  of  God  to  the 
mission  field.  It  was  through  his  sister  that  he  re- 
ceived an  account  of  an  address  delivered  by  Dr. 
Bums  Thomson  from  Madagascar.  In  the  address 
there  had  been  a call  for  medical  missionaries  to  go  to 
Madagascar.  Though  not  a physician,  he  was  willing 
to  go  as  an  engineer,  and  as  such  he  offered  himself 
for  the  work.  The  way  did  not  seem  to  open  at  once, 
so  he  responded  to  an  appeal  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  made  in  April,  1875,  for  a lay  superin- 

92 


tendent  for  a mission  station  at  Mombasa,  in  East 
Africa.  But  this  position  was  filled  when  his  letter 
was  received.  In  September  of  this  same  year  he 
had  a very  flattering  offer  from  the  firm  with  which 
he  was  connected  in  Berlin  to  accept  a very  remunera- 
tive position  in  Moscow,  but  he  refused,  believing  that 
God  would  provide  the  way  for  him  to  go  to  the  for- 
eign field  eventually.  Faith  and  patience  were  to  be 
tested  but  a few  months  longer. 


Starts  for  Uganda. 

About  this  time  Stanley’s  letter  appeared  in  the 
Daily  Telegraph  challenging  Christendom  to  send 
missionaries  to  Mtesa  in  Uganda.  Mackay  was  one 
of  the  first  to  offer  his  services  for  this  work,  and  in 
January,  1876,  he  received  notice  from  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  of  his  appointment  to  this  field. 
The  following  April  he  sailed  with  seven  other  com- 
panions for  Africa,  the  youngest  of  them  all,  and 
“destined  in  the  short  space  of  three  years  to  be  the 
only  representative  in  Africa  of  that  original  band.” 
Before  they  left  for  their  station,  a farewell  service 
was  held  in  the  rooms  of  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety. It  was  not  marked  by  anything  extraordinary. 
Very  quietly  each  one  of  the  five  prospective  mis- 
sionaries (for  three  had  already  gone)  gave  a parting 
message.  Mackay  was  the  last  one  called  upon  to 
speak.  This  was  what  he  said  in  substance : “ 'There 
is  one  thing  which  I want  to  say.  I want  to  remind 
the  Committee  that  within  six  months  they  will 
probably  hear  that  one  of  us  is  dead.’  The  words 
were  startling,  and  there  was  a silence  that  might  be 

93 


felt.  Then  he  went  on:  ‘Yes,  is  it  at  all  likely  that 
eight  Englishmen  should  start  for  Central  Africa,  and 
all  be  alive  six  months  after?  One  of  us  at  least~it 
may  be  I — will  surely  fall  before  that.  But,’  he 
added,  ‘what  I want  to  say  is  this : When  that  news 
comes,  do  not  be  cast  down,  but  send  someone  else 
immediately  to  take  the  vacant  place.’  ” In  this  spirit 
of  devotion  the  little  band  of  heroes  went  forth.  It 
was  November,  1878,  before  Mackay  and  his  fellow- 
missionary, Wilson,  reached  Uganda  and  Mtesa’s 
capital.  The  king  received  them  cordially  and  was 
delighted  to  hear  of  the  wonders  of  Western  science. 
A description  of  railroads,  steamships,  telegraph  and 
telephone  greatly  interested  him.  A magic  lantern 
exhibition  showing  pictures  of  animals  and  scenes 
outside  Uganda  quite  surpassed  all  his  expectations. 
He  was  glad  to  have  Mackay  with  him,  because  of  his 
wonderful  skill  as  a worker  in  metal  and  because  of 
the  practical  use  he  was  to  him.  He  showed,  too,  to 
a certain  extent,  an  interest  in  Christianity,  and  many 
times  did  Mackay  conduct  services  at  the  court. 
Mtesa  even  claimed  to  be  a Christian,  but  he  was 
greatly  perplexed  by  the  conflicting  statements  of 
Mohammedan  slave  dealers  and  by  the  teachings  of 
Roman  Catholic  missionaries,  both  of  whom  opposed 
Mackay  very  bitterly.  The  power,  too,  of  heathen 
superstition,  in  which  he  had  grown  up,  especially 
when  he  became  ill  and  resorted  to  a sorcerer,  all 
counteracted  Mackay’s  faithful  Christian  teachings. 
So  strong  became  this  opposition  to  Christianity  that 
scores  of  martyrs  perished,  and  thousands  of  innocent 
natives  who  were  not  Christians  were  slain  in  the 
hope  that  thus  the  King  might  be  cured  of  a disease 

94 


from  which  he  was  suffering.  These  facts  seem  to 
disprove  very  fully  Mtesa’s  claims  to  be  a Christian. 
At  first  he  showed  considerable  interest  in  the  teach- 
ings of  the  New  Testament,  learned  to  read,  and 
commanded  his  people  also  to  learn,  and  Mackay 
seemed  hopeful  of  his  professed  conversion.  But 
subsequent  events  seemed  to  show  that  Mtesa  lived 
and  died  a heathen. 


DlI^FlCULTlES. 

Can  you  imagine  the  difficulties  under  which  Mac- 
kay labored?  First,  there  was  the  one  of  inability 
to  speak  the  language  properly,  and,  depending  upon 
an  interpreter,  he  found  that  frequently  he  gave  a 
meaning  that  Mackay  did  not  mean  to  convey  at  all. 
Then  there  were  the  Mohammedan  slave  dealers, 
Arabs  who  violently  opposed  all  teachings  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  the  Catholic  missionaries  who  did  all 
in  their  power  to  undermine  Mackay’s  Protestantism. 
These  things,  as  time  went  on,  with  the  growing  dis- 
affection of  Mtesa,  brought  Mackay^s  life  into  great 
danger.  The  tide  ebbed  and  flowed ; now  the  people 
seemed  willing  to  hear  the  gospel,  again  they  would 
refuse.  “One  day  they  listen,  and  another  day  they 
say:  ‘We  want  none  of  your  teachings.  We  have  a 
religion  of  our  own  wffiich  we  like  better  than  the 
white  man’s  religion.  If  you  want  to  teach  us  any- 
thing, show  us  how  to  make  gunpowder  and  guns, 
and  we  will  give  you  land  and  slaves.’  One  day  we 
are  friends,  the  next  day  the  enchanters  prevail  and 
we  are  condemned  as  the  cause  of  all  drought  and 
disease.” 


95 


Witchcraft  Outdone. 

Mackay  tells  an  experience  one  day  when  he  tried 
to  prove  to  the  natives  the  worthlessness  of  their 
charms.  Having  bought  a very  powerful  one,  he 
asked  them  what  was  in  it.  “The  lubare,  some  said ; 
while  others  said  they  believed  it  all  a lie,  and  that 
there  was  no  lubare  (or  spirit)  in  the  thing.  ‘Will  it 
burn?'  I asked.  ‘Oh,  no,  the  lubare  does  not  burn.' 
‘Is  not  this  charm  mine?  Did  I not  buy  it?'  ‘Yes, 
it  is  yours,'  they  all  said.  ‘Then  I can  do  with  it  what 
I like?'  ‘Oh,  yes.'  ‘Very  good,'  I replied.  So,  tak- 
ing out  of  my  pocket  a small  lens,  I made  fire  in  a 
moment  with  the  sun's  rays,  and,  bidding  my  little  boy 
gather  a bundle  of  dry  wood,  of  which  there  was 
any  amount  lying  on  the  beach,  I soon  had  a brilliant 
blaze.  ‘Can  your  great  witches  make  fire  out  of  the 
sun  as  I have  done?'  I asked.  ‘No;  no.'  ‘Then,  you 
see,  I am  cleverer  than  these  gods  whom  you  wor- 
ship.' ‘Yes,  you  make  magic,'  they  said.  ‘Well,  you 
say  there  is  magic  in  this  charm  which  I have 
bought?'  ‘Yes.'  ‘Well,  let  us  see ?'  So,  putting  the 
great  charm  into  the  heart  of  the  fire,  it  was  reduced 
to  ashes  in  a few  moments,  half  of  the  bystanders 
running  away  in  horror,  the  rest  standing  round,  hop-, 
ing  every  moment  that  some  terrible  judgment  would 
come  upon  me  for  my  sacrilege.  ‘Now  the  devil  is 
dead,'  I said,  ‘and  you  all  see  that  I have  told  you 
true,  and  there  is  no  saving  power  in  charms,  and 
that  God  alone  can  save  us.'  ‘You  are  a god,'  some 
said;  while  others  said,  ‘You  are  the  devil.'  They 
have  the  two  words,  but  they  fear  and  worship  the 
devil  only." 


96 


A Ne^w  King — Persecution. 

In  October,  1884,  Mtesa  died,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  son  Mwanga,  a weak  but  vicious  man.  Most 
cruel  persecution  of  the  native  Christians  followed. 
Hundreds  were  killed  and  finally  Mackay  had  to 
abandon  the  mission  temporarily,  crossing  Lake 
Victoria  Nyanza  to  the  southern  shore.  Here  he 
met  Stanley,  and  so  impressed  him  that  that  noted 
explorer  said  of  him  “that  he  was  the  greatest  mis- 
sionary, next  to  Livingstone,  that  he  had  ever  met.” 
Stanley  tried  to  persuade  him  to  return  to  England, 
but  Mackay  refused  to  go  until  someone  should  be 
sent  to  take  his  place.  “Stanley  and  his  party  came 
home  to  European  platforms  and  royal  receptions ; 
the  lonely  missionary  went  to  the  palace  of  the  King 
of  Kings.”  His  last  message  was  written  home  on 
January  the  2d,  1890;  in  it  he  said:  “You  sons  of 
England,  here  is  a field  for  your  energies.  Bring 
with  you  your  highest  education  and  your  greatest 
talents;  you  will  find  scope  for  the  exercise  of  them 
all.  You  men  of  God,  who  have  resolved  to  devote 
your  lives  to  the  cure  of  the  souls  of  men,  here  is  the 
proper  field  for  you.  It  is  not  to  win  numbers  to  a 
church,  but  to  win  men  to  the  Saviour,  and  who 
otherwise  will  be  lost,  that  I entreat  you  to  leave  your 
work  at  home  to  the  many  who  are  ready  to  under- 
take it,  and  to  come  forth  yourselves  to  reap  this 
field  now  white  to  the  harvest.  Rome  is  rushing  in 
with  her  salvation  by  sacraments  and  a religion  of 
carnal  ordinances.  We  want  men  who  will  preach 
Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  ^God  is  a Spirit,’  and  let 
him  who  believes  that  throw  up  every  other  consid- 

97 


e ration  and  come  forth  to  teach  these  people  to  wor- 
ship him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.” 

The  Harvest. 

On  February  8th,  1890,  Mackay  succumbed  to 
African  fever  after  four  days’  illness.  Some  would 
count  his  life  in  Africa  a failure,  terminating  as  it  did 
with  the  bitter  persecution  and  cruel  death  of  his 
converts,  and  in  his  being  driven  from  Uganda  across 
the  lake  to  die ; but  seeming  failure  has  been  changed 
to  glorious  success.  To-day  the  British  flag  floats 
over  Uganda,  a railroad  runs  from  the  coast  to  the 
former  mission  station,  and  in  this  territory,  once  red 
with  martyrs’  blood,  are  hundreds  of  self-supporting 
churches  and  thousands  of  native  workers  and  evan- 
gelists supported  by  the  native  church.  Thousands 
of  copies  of  the  New  Testament  have  been  circulated. 
Mackay  labored  five  years  before  a single  convert  was 
baptized,  in  1882,  but  now  there  are  over  30,000  in  the 
membership  of  the  church,  and  4,000  of  them  were 
converted  in  a single  year.  We  can  but  exclaim: 
What  hath  God  wrought! 

Questions. 

1.  Locate  Uganda.  How  can  it  be  most  easily  reached 

to-day  ? 

2.  If  you  had  $10,000  to  invest  in  a business  venture 

in  Uganda,  what  natural  resources  or  products 
would  you  seek  to  develop? 

3.  Trace  all  of  the  things  in  Mackay’s  life  that  influ- 

enced him  to  become  a missionary. 

4.  With  such  traits  of  character  as  he  displayed  on 

the  mission  field,  do  you  think  he  would  have 
98 


had  a successful  career  as  a civil  engineer  at 
home? 

5.  Do  you  think  he  did  right  or  wrong  in  going  to 

Uganda?  State  reasons. 

6.  From  what  three  sources  did  he  meet  opposition 

to  his  work  in  Uganda? 

7.  Contrast  the  conditions  of  Uganda  at  the  time  of 

Mackay's  death  with  those  of  to-day. 

Books. 

“Mackay  of  Uganda/’  by  his  Sister. 

“The  Story  of  Mackay  of  Uganda,”  by  his  Sister. 
“Two  Kings  of  Uganda.” 

“The  Price  of  Africa”  (Chap.  IV). 


99 


STUDY  X. 


afdca 

(llid0ionars  J^ctoce  to  tbe  Btricano 

Progress  in  Aerica. 

With  notices  similar  to  the  following  from  the  New 
York  Sun  of  September  13th,  1905,  that  ‘‘Livingstone 
Island  in  the  Zambesi  is  becoming  a popular  summer 
resort/’  one’s  idea  of  Central  Africa  as  a wilderness 
of  forests  receives  a sudden  shock,  and  we  are  pre- 
pared to  hear  of  the  populous  cities  of  the  South, 
and  its  centres  of  commerce  on  the  coast  and  along 
the  numerous  rivers  of  the  interior. 

A remarkable  feat  of  engineering  is  the  construc- 
tion of  the  proposed  railroad  from  Cairo  to  Cape 
Town.  More  than  twenty-eight  hundred  miles  are 
now  completed,  and  before  long  a journey  that  once 
would  have  been  impossible  because  of  the  dangers  of 
the  way,  will  be  possible  in  all  the  comforts  of  a mod- 
ern railroad  train. 

Everything  about  Africa  seems  to  be  on  a large 
scale — the  size  of  its  deserts,  the  length  of  its  rivers, 
the  remarkable  differences  of  its  climate ; and  propor- 
tionate even  to  this  gigantic  scale  has  been  its  recent 
development.  The  Pyramids  of  Egypt  saw  the  old 
civilization  disappear,  and  through  long  ages  of  Mos- 
lem rule  they  have  waited  for  the  dawn  that  came  in 

100 


the  English  sovereignty.  South  Africa  had  felt  the 
benefit;  but  why  did  it  skip  the  desert  regions  of 
Nubia  and  the  Soudan  and  leave  them  in  the  black 
night  of  Mohammedanism? 

Little  did  these  countless  tribes  dream,  in  their  vil- 
lages of  mud  walls,  grass  roofs  and  low  doors,  of 
the  sudden  awakening  that  was  coming  to  them. 
Places  that  had  never  seen  a white  man  were  to  be 
filled  with  them,  and  still  to-day  in  the  heart  of  Africa 
numerous  tribes  have  never  been  reached  by  a for- 
eigner. 

Four  things,  however,  have  directly  contributed  to 
the  recent  development  of  “parts”  of  Africa : 

I.  Missionary  effort. 

II.  Exploration. 

III.  The  discovery  of  its  great  mineral  wealth. 

IV.  Partition  of  the  Continent  among  European 

Powers. 

1.  Missionary  Effort. 

Since  the  days  of  Moffat,  the  missionaries  who 
have  gone  to  Africa  have  been  countless.  No  other 
land  presented  such  dangers  from  wild  animals,  fierce 
natives  and  deadly  diseases,  and  yet  in  no  place  in  the 
world  was  the  need  greater.  Frequently  a mission- 
ary lived  only  a month  or  two  after  reaching  the 
station,  and  others  labored  long  and  faithfully.  Surely 
from  the  soil  so  rich  with  the  blood  of  martyrs 
since  the  days  of  Augustine,  we  must  expect  a har- 
vest that  will  make  the  angels  rejoice.  These  early 
missionaries  were  really  the  pioneer  explorers  of 
Africa,  and  took  no  small  part  in  opening  up  the 
country  as  they  passed  to  and  fro  from  their  mission 

lOI 


stations.  Paths  were  made  through  untrodden  for- 
ests, and  roads  finally  connected  out-stations  to  the 
main  mission. 

II.  Exploration. 

One  of  the  first  definite  expeditions  into  unknown 
Africa  was  led  by  Mungo  Park  in  1797  to  find  the 
sources  of  the  Niger.  Since  then  the  unsolved  geo- 
graphical problems  have  attracted  explorers.  Many 
went,  few  returned,  and  yet  all  helped  to  open  up  the 
Continent.  More  successful  than  any  other  one 
explorer  was  Livingstone,  followed  by  Stanley  and 
Cameron,  and  it  is  to  them  that  we  owe  our  present 
knowledge  of  the  Dark  Continent. 

III.  Discovery  op  Mineral  Wealth. 

Closely  following  the  explorations  in  South  Africa 
was  a discovery  of  valuable  gold  mines.  Men  flocked 
in  thousands  to  Cape  Colony  and  invested  capital 
there,  disproving  the  old  theory  that  Africa  was  the 
poorest  of  the  Continents,  a region  of  sand  and  rocks, 
of  deserts  and  vast  forests ; instead,  she  is  rich  in 
gold,  diamonds,  coal,  copper  and  iron.  New  discov- 
eries are  constantly  being  made. 

IV.  Partition  Among  European  Powers. 

But  most  important  in  the  sudden  development  of 
Africa  was  its  partition  among  European  Powers. 

Except  in  outline  and  general  features,  the  Africa 
of  to-day  bears  little  resemblance  to  the  Africa  of 
1848.  These  changes  are  due  to  exploration  and  the 
European  greed  for  territory. 

In  the  eighteenth  century  the  civilized  world  was 
engaged,  someone  has  said,  in  stealing  Africans  from 
Africa,  while  in  the  nineteenth  it  has  been  stealing 

102 


Africa  from  the  Africans.  A glance  at  the  map  will 
show  how  ten  out  of  the  eleven  and  a half  million 
square  miles  just  passed  out  of  the  natives’  hands 
into  so-called  “spheres  of  influence.” 

Early  in  1884,  Germany  hoisted  her  flag  in  South- 
west Africa,  and  took  possession  of  territory  to 
which  she  had  little  or  no  claim.  Not  satisfied  here, 
she  repeated  it  in  Zanzibar.  England  felt  that  she 
had  the  stronger  claim,  but  did  not  press  it,  so  she 
lost  Namaqualand. 

Each  Power  endeavored  to  secure  as  large  an  area 
as  possible  on  certain  grounds  or  claims,  regardless 
of  the  natives’  rights  to  the  land  that  they  and  their 
forefathers  had  held  for  centuries.  Early  occupation, 
exploration,  missionary  effort,  possession  of  adjoin- 
ing territory,  or  merely  the  hoisting  of  a flag  were 
considered  sufficient  grounds  to  claim  large  areas. 
So  Africa  was  partitioned  as  follows;  not,  however, 
without  many  international  disputes. 

To  France:  3,300,000  square  miles,  including  her 
possessions  on  the  Mediterranean,  Algiers,  Tripoli 
and  Madagascar.  This  is  the  largest,  if  not  the 
richest,  of  the  “shares,”  for  it  includes  the  Sahara.  A 
total  population  of  27,000,000. 

To  England:  Colonies  on  the  west  and  south 
coasts.  Over  the  healthiest  parts  of  Africa  the  Union 
Jack  floats.  2,500,000  square  miles  form  a valuable 
possession,  with  rich  mines  and  fine  opportunities  for 
colonization.  Population,  40,000,000. 

To  Belgium:  The  right  of  the  Congo  Free  State, 
originally  planned  for  free  trading,  and  now  one  of 
Belgium’s  richest  possessions,  with  an  area  of  900,000 
square  miles.  Population  of  1 6,000,00a 

103 


To  Germany:  Possibly  in  punishment  for  her  great 
greed,  her  possessions  in  East,  Southwest  and  West 
Africa  are  far  from  rich,  and  because  of  the  un- 
healthiness of  the  coast  are  not  practicable  for  colo- 
nization. Area  is  925,000  square  miles,  and  the  popu- 
lation 6,000,000. 

To  Portugal,  Italy  and  Spain  went  1,500,000  square 
miles  of  territory,  with  a population  of  6,000,000. 
When  you  count  in  the  Turkish  possessions  in  the 
north  and  the  two  native  states  of  Morocco  and 
Central  Soudan,  the  total  area  of  eleven  and  one-half 
millions  is  accounted  for. 

But  back  of  this  political  division  was  God’s  divine 
purpose  in  the  partition  of  Africa  for  missionary  ends 
and  consequences,  that  the  so-called  Christian  nations 
of  the  world  might  share  not  only  in  the  civilization 
but  in  its  Christianization.  Representing  these 
nations  there  are  in  Africa  to-day  about  347  mis- 
sionaries, who,  with  the  aid  of  4,507  helpers,  are 
preaching  Christ  to  the  millions  who  have  never 
heard  of  him.  In  2,712  churches,  132,280  com- 
municants are  gathered  each  Sunday  to  use  Bibles 
printed  in  one  hundred  and  twelve  different  lan- 
guages. This  was  the  missionary’s  first  work — to 
reduce  the  language  to  a written  form,  and  some- 
times even  to  create  a language.  Schools,  colleges 
and  hospitals  further  prove  that  Africa  is  a field 
worthy  of  the  best  sowing. 

Possibly  the  greatest  triumph  of  Christian  influence 
was  the  abolishing  of  the  slave  trade,  and  in  Zanzibar 
a cathedral  rises  on  the  very  spot  where  the  old  slave 
market  stood. 

Thus,  in  ways  unseen,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  working 
104 


in  Africa,  and  mission  stations  like  the  influential 
Nyanda,  Blantyre  and  Livingstonia  prove  that  the 
only  way  to  lift  an  African  out  of  darkness  and  super- 
stition is  to  tell  him  of  the  Light  of  the  World. 

Africa’s  future  is  being  made  now.  It  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  Christians  of  the  world.  What  are  you 
doing  in  its  regard  ? 


Questions. 

1.  Mention  four  things  that  have  chiefly  aided  the 

development  of  Africa. 

2.  Which  of  these  was  first? 

3.  Do  the  spheres  of  influence  held  by  the  European 

Powers  impose  any  obligations  on  them  to  the 
natives?  What? 

4.  Which  nation,  do  you  think,  holds  the  most  stra- 

tegic position  as  far  as  missionary  work  is 
concerned  ? 

Books  kor  Teiach^rs  B^ror^  Ticking  this 
Study. 

'^Africa  Waiting”  (pp.  130-138),  by  Thornton. 
^Tartition  of  Africa,”  by  Keltic. 

^'Sketches  from  the  Dark  Continent”  (Chaps.  I 
and  3),  by  Hotchkiss. 

*'Dawn  in  the  Dark  Continent,”  by  Stewart. 

‘^The  Development  of  Africa,”  by  White. 

Books  for  Scholars. 

“Africa  for  Juniors”  (Chap.  6),  by  Crowell. 
“Daybreak  in  North  Africa,”  by  Haig. 

“Dawn  in  the  Dark  Continent,”  by  Stewart. 

105 


Significant  Resolutions 

PASSED  BY 

The  Editorial  Association 

IN  CONNECTION  WITH 

THE  TORONTO  CONVENTION,  1905 

■ or  THE 

International  Sunday  School 
Association 


(1)  That  the  Sunday  School  papers  of  the  country  bring 
before  the  attention  of  the  Christian  public  the  great  field  of 
Stmday  School  work  as  the  natural  and  logical  place  for 
instruction  in  Home  and  Foreign  Missions. 

(2)  That  the  question  of  Missions  in  the  Stmday  School 
be  given  a place  on  the  programs  of  all  missionary  institutes, 
conventions  and  summer  schools  wherever  possible  through- 
out the  country. 

(3)  That  the  aid  of  the  Sunday  School  Boards  and  the 
societies  of  the  various  denominations  be  enlisted  in  a sys- 
tematic effort  to  bring  before  every  Sunday  School  superin- 
tendent in  the  country  the  possibility,  practicability  and 
necessity  of  the  study  of  Missions  in  the  Stmday  Schools. 

(4)  That  courses  of  instruction  be  prepared  in  both  Home 
and  Foreign  Missions,  aimed  to  instruct  and  interest  the 
scholars,  and  to  lead  them  to  some  definite  missionary 
activity. 

(5)  That  this  missionary  instruction  be  made  a part  of  the 
regular  supplemental  work  in  every  School,  unless  otherwise 
adequately  provided  for. 

(6)  That  suitable  and  inexpensive  books  be  prepared  in 
different  grades,  which  shall  be  put  in  the  hands  of  every 
pupil,  so  that  thorough  home  perparation  be  made  possible. 


BOOKS  FOR  UNDENOMINATIONAL  MISSION  STUDY 


MISSIONARY  STUDIES  FOR  THE 
SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

By  Georgs  Harvey  Trull 

First  Scrics 

An  introductoiy  course  for  the  use  of  Sunday  Schools.  64  pp. 
The  six  Studies  indude  : 

The  Mountainkers  of  the  South. 

Foreigners  in  the  United  States. 

William  Carey,  Educator---lNDiA. 

David  Livingstone,  Explorer—ArRicA. 

John  G.  Paton,  Evan^list^ — ^The  New  Hebrides. 

John  K.  Mackenzie,  Physician-— China. 

Mr.  John  Willis  Baer  says  of  them  : 

" More  and  more  is  the  Sunday  School  becoming  evangelistic  and  mis- 
sionary in  spirit.  As  one  means  of  fostering  and  deepening  this  force,  the 
teacher  and  superintendent  will  do  well  to  give  careful  he^  to  Mr.  Trull's 
Studies.  For  one,  I welcome  them  heartily,  because  they  are  among  the 
first  steps  prepared  out  of  a practical  experience  for  educating  and  mter- 
esting  our  Sunday  School  scholars  in  the  great  enterprise  of  Missions.” 


MISSIONARY  STUDIES  FOR  THE 
SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Edited  by  George  Harvey  Trull 
SceoND  Series  in  Two  Grades 
Senior  Grade.  100  PP. 

IdissioNARY  Heroes  to  the  Iiuoians. 

Missionary  Heroes  to  the  Africans. 

Junior  and  Intermediate  Grade.  80  PP. 

Great  Missionaries  to  the  Red  Men. 

Great  Missionaries  in  the  Dark  Continent. 

^“These  books  are  WHOLLY  UNDENOMINATIONAL  in  character 
and  treatment,  and  are  therefore  adapted  for  use  in  any  School.  They  do 
not  present  denominational  Missions,  but  the  world-wide  work  with  which 
every  Christian  should  be  familiar. 


UNDENOMINATIONAL  MISSIONARY 
STUDIES  FOR  THE  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Edited  by  George  Harvey  Trull 
Third  Series  in  Two  Grades 

One  book  for  use  in  the  Senior  Grade  of  the  Sunday  School.  The  other 
book  for  vise  in  the  Junior  and  Intermediate  Grades  of  the  Sunday  School. 

Our  Responsibility  for  the  Immigrants  in  our  Midst. 
Our  Responsibility  for  India’s  Millions. 


All  of  the  above  now  published  by  The  Simday  School  Hmes  Company, 
1031  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Single  copies,  jk)  cents,  i>ost-paid ; ten  copies,  16  cents  each  ; fifty 
00pi§§,  10  cents  each,  carnage  extra. 


